I don't know
by Lysangelle
Summary: Post 7x07. What I think should happen after the heartbreak of "That's me trying".
1. Chapter 1

Title: I don't know  
Author: Lysangelle  
Pairing: Callie/Arizona  
Rating: NC13  
Spoiler: Post 7x07. If you didn't see it and would like to stay spoiler-free, you shouldn't read this.

Summary: What I would like to see after the heartbreak of "That's me trying".

Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libellous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

A/N: I just couldn't stay stuck for three weeks with the feelings left by the end of "That's me trying". I tried to fix it for my own sake but I hope maybe it'll work for some of you too. This story hasn't been beta'ed. All mistakes are mine and I apologize for them in advance.

Title and lyrics are from a Celine Dion song, probably my favorite of all times, both in English and French version. It hits very close to home for me and I thought it was perfect for this story.

* * *

I know what I want, I know what I need  
But there's just one thing I must believe  
Deep in the night by a dying flame  
You will be there when I call your name

I'm sure I could face the bitter cold  
But life without you, I don't know.

I don't know…

* * *

**Chapter 1**

If you were to walk by the leather cocoon of that particular first class seat, in that particular Boeing 777, all you would be able to see is a mass of silky blond curls emerging from the blanket the woman was tightly wrapped in.

Leaning against the armrest of her wide seat, her back turned to the empty aisle seat where the love of her life was supposed to be sitting, wrapped in the offered blanket, her legs bend and held tightly to her body, the woman was hiding the silent tears that were running down her cheeks.

Five hours into her long flight, the Carter Madison Grant's recipient had declined the meal tray and all complimentary items. She was drinking just enough to avoid the dehydration.

If you were to walk past that seat and were observant enough to notice the obviously distressed woman in her hiding cocoon, you might wonder what thoughts were plaguing her…

'What have I done?' The blonde was crying silently, her shoulders shaking with her tears but no sound coming out of her. She knew she did the best thing she could but it didn't make it any less painful. She had wanted to ignore the evidence and selfishly bring her love along for the amazing adventure that was awaiting her. But at the last minute, she couldn't. Her analytic mind took over her personal wants and she had to face the truth, she had to leave her heart behind.

...

If four hours later, after a rather uncomfortable nap, like only plane's naps can be, you curiously were to walk by that same seat to see if the woman was still in the same prostrate state, you would have seen a stunningly beautiful woman, her blue eyes made bright from obvious numerous tears. You would have been somewhat relieved to see her sitting up; determinedly writing what looked like a long letter, a few pages already piling up on the empty seat next to hers.

Arizona was writing quickly, her thoughts overflowing and being instantly transferred to the paper in front of her. Her heart poured liberally from the pen, the letter getting longer. She refused to reread what she wrote, refused to censure herself as she turned her thoughts and feeling into the words destined to the woman she loved more than anything.

* * *

Callie Torres came home after a boring day at work. The 'big plans' the chief waved under her nose repeatedly after she told him she was leaving with Arizona didn't amount to much. Arizona had been right; he had been trying to mess with her mind. She felt lightly guilty about the whole thing now and was thinking of that 'big plans' trick as the root of her misery.

The dark haired woman put down the handful of mail she grabbed on her way out of the hospital and dropped her bag and leather jacket on a pile of still unopened boxes.

Callie felt grateful for the one good thing that came out of this whole mess. She managed to get her apartment back before her landlord had time to rent it to someone else. He was easily persuaded by the argument that he wouldn't have to do the usual freshen up work and the orthopedics surgeon was now in the endless process of unpacking. A job that would take a while since every time she opened a box she was flooded with happy memories of packing up the same items with Arizona, as they prepared for a new chapter of their shared life. Irremediably she was bursting into tears.

Each time she was easily overseeing the fact that she hadn't been that happy to leave at the time in favor of holding up on the thought that Arizona's presence then was making the whole thing a happy time.

She turned to the half painted wall and the painting material neatly piled up in front of it. Now she could see the yellow hint to the beige color. She picked the yellow _beige_ because it reminded her of her sunny Arizona. 'She really was my own ray in sunshine, why didn't I see that before?' the honey skinned woman wondered for the millionth time.

She had time to think. A lot of time. More than enough time to reflect on the last few months of their relationship. She admitted to herself she hadn't been the best girlfriend. She realized that after the honeymoon period right after Arizona accepted to move in with her, she had switch to 'dragging feet' mode. She's been reluctant to change much of her life to turn it into _their_ life. The painting they never did was one proof of it. Another one was the fact that Arizona had to try to become friend with Mark, someone she admitted she didn't like, for her lover's sake. Of course it was more comfortable for the three of them since her girlfriend and BFF found some common ground. But Callie was astute enough to see, after some soul searching, that sharing so much of their daily life with Mark wasn't the best for their couple. She rather acted like those bachelors who have a hard time letting go of their single life and hanging out with their friends after getting married. Even if mark needed her friendship at the time, she's been unfair to Arizona. Expecting her to accept Mark's presence in their life and space more than it was reasonable.

Callie Torres started to wonder if she wasn't in a good part responsible for the undermining of her relationship with the woman she came to think of as the love of her life.

She tried to stay angry at Arizona. Playing her parting words in her mind again and again. But, more and more, the anger was giving way to a feeling of sadness and despair, and loss, as all she could bring up anymore was the sad face and voice of her lover. The tears in the wonderful blue eyes she loved so much.

Of course the ortho surgeon had a hard time understanding that Arizona had seemingly picked her career over their relationship. In the same position she would turn the grant down. Or would she? She was starting to wonder about that too. If she was that pissed off when the chief implied he had plans for her and refused to tell her about it, would she had the guts to refuse something as big as the Carter Madison Grant? Would she really pick her girlfriend over something as life changing as that grant if it had been her own career in the balance?

Yep she had way too much time to think, she would have preferred to stay in the anger and 'Arizona's the only one at fault' mode.

Callie sat heavily on the closest couch and start going through the mail, unwilling to get busy with the jobs that needed to be done. Neither the painting or unpacking, and the pain either would bring, were appealing right now.

A thick white envelop with unusual stamps caught her attention. At closest inspection she saw it was stamps from Africa and her heart started to pound in her chest. They didn't get in touch since the blonde departure and she wasn't sure if this was a good sign or not. The tall woman wasn't even sure what she wanted, or hoped, for the letter to say.

Callie feverishly tore the envelop open and closing her eyes, took a deep breath.

* * *

_Dear Calliope,_

_I almost started this with 'my love' but I got worried that you would just throw the whole thing away on the spot. And I wouldn't blame you; you have every right to be mad at me, and I don't expect any less of you, my fiery woman. Here I go again, I just can't stop myself, can I? Calling you mine…_

_I'm sitting in this plane and I can't even look at the empty seat where you should be sitting, right there at my side. I know, I know, you're thinking it's my own fault if you're not, aren't you?_

_It doesn't mean it's not tearing me apart and makes me so miserable that I don't even think about how scared I usually am of flying. Remember the things you had planned to distract me from my fear? I guess I don't need them right now and it makes me want to cry. But I don't have tears left after 8 hours of almost permanent crying._

_You must wonder by now why I tell you those things, maybe even getting a little angry over it. Me being the one that left you standing alone in an airport and here I'm doing all that whining._

_I just need to tell you everything. It's why I'm writing to you instead of calling. I have so much to tell you and I don't think you'd let me get through with it on the phone. Please, bear with me? Please?_

_If you read this far, I guess it's time for me to apologize. I know I hurt you but I didn't see any other way. And please know that I have hurt myself just as much._

_Leaving you in that airport was the hardest thing I ever done, and hope I'll ever do. It tore my heart in two and be sure that the bigger part of it stayed right there with you._

_I just couldn't allow you to come with me, I couldn't. It would have meant the end of us… for good. I know it's compromised as it is but I hope that, maybe, we can work through this. I'd rather live three years without you and keep a chance at spending the rest of my life at your side than taking the risk of loosing you forever. And it's what would happen if you had come to Africa with me. You would have ended up hating me for taking you away from your friends and your promising career in Seattle. Even if I still think Webber was playing with your mind, I have no doubt you're on your way to an amazing career. After all, you're my rock star, aren't you? Sorry; that possessiveness is showing up again. And I feel even more possessive at this minute when you're so far away from me. But, God, it's so hard._

_You made me so happy the day you decided to come with me to Africa. You really don't know how tough it has been for me since we heard I won that damn grant. I've been torn so badly. It was giving me the chance to do so much good for those kids. It's everything I wanted since I set my mind to become the best pediatric surgeon I could be._

_But then it meant leaving you behind. How was I supposed to do that? It meant living with my heart inside of my chest and thousands of miles away for three years._

_But you took the decision to join me and it all became perfect. For those few weeks I literally was the happiest woman in the world. Having it all…_

_I now realized I lived in denial for quite a while in this. I can think back to numerous occasions where you showed you weren't happy with this plan. I think I, unconsciously, selfishly choose to ignore it. Like I said, I was so happy I was rather blind to anything else, including your true feelings. Not the first time it happened huh? I'm sorry. But denial is so comfortable._

_Even that last morning at the hospital, remember? I asked you if you wanted to talk about something. I'm sorry to say but you were in such a crappy mood that day that even from the depth of my denial I couldn't ignore it. But you declined to talk. Why did you, Callie? For that matter, why didn't you tell me you didn't really want to go to Africa from the get go. I thought we were passed that stage. Maybe we could have worked something out. But you didn't so, selfishly, I stayed in my happy pink bubble, subconsciously refusing to see you weren't in it with me. And yes, I let it go. And yes, I was wrong to. I know I shouldn't have but I did. I let go of your snappy remarks and went with it._

_It's when we made it to the go away party that it became obvious I missed something. And something big._

_It might be strange to say this in the middle of an explanation/apologies letter but I have to tell you, Torres; your behavior sucked. I was hurt but the worse part was that it made me see that I needed to face the truth and asked myself some questions._

_Was this how things would be between us from now on? You had been short and snappy for a while and at any other times I would have called you on it. But I was so happy that I refused to let your mood affect me. I thought the stress of moving and the anxiety of the separation from everything and everyone you knew was the reason for your reaction. But it wasn't, was it?_

_I'm blaming myself, believe me. We should have addressed this sooner. I do know you wanted to be with me, even if you didn't want to move to another continent. But I had to face the truth; how long would being with me been enough for you? How long before you start resenting me for bringing you out there? Before you start having regrets? Before we start seeing only the bad side of things? Before you start blaming me for all the things you were missing at home. How long before we forget the love we have for each other?_

_At the end I couldn't have that. I couldn't live with the knowledge that you hate me. I dare to hope that you do not hate me at this point, that you're just very pissed and angry at me._

_I hate the things I said to you in that airport. I hate myself for hurting you. I hope that hate I'm feeling will be enough of it around that you don't need to hate me too._

_Please understand that I've done what I had to do. To make you stay behind. What I had to do to make sure you'd stay happy. Even if it meant you were happy far away from me. God knows I want to be the one and only one making you happy. God knows how imagining you being happy far away from me is killing me. But your happiness meant more to me than anything else._

_Allow me to say that I don't know how I'm going to live without you for three years. I'm aware I might have destroyed us for good and that you might not even be there in three years. I really can't believe I told you we were already done. I felt like someone else was talking through my mouth. Though, to be totally honest, I was slightly pissed off at your behavior too. I guess it helped me to find the coldness I needed at the time._

_As you can see, I've been thinking about my own responsibility in this situation, and since, I've found some solutions I could have proposed. I could go to Africa and train local surgeons who would take over the actual work. The grant would cover that without a doubt. And the kids would receive the help they need…That's only one of the solutions I can think of right now._

_I have so much more to tell you but I'm running short of paper. I just have one thing to add: I love you, Calliope. I love you so much. So much I had to let you go. I love you so much I had to let you be happy without me. I love you. I can't say it enough; I can't stop writing it, thinking I might never be able to again. Not if you don't give me the chance. I love you. And I hope you'll have the heart to forgive me._

_I miss you already. Be happy my love._

_Yours forever_

_Arizona_

* * *

Callie was sobbing by the time she reached the end of the letter. Her tears were smudging the words on the white paper between her shaking fingers. She ran the back of one hand over her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself.

She got up and turned on the laptop she left on the coffee table and went to her desperately empty bedroom to change while it was booting up.

She soon emerged from the room wearing her painting clothes, she had some work to do, but first…

The honey skinned woman grabbed the laptop and sat back on the couch; she opened her email program and typed the message she hoped would fix her life for good. Bypassing the subject line like that extra second would cost her precious time, she wrote:

**To: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins**  
**From: BadassTorres**  
**Subject:**

**Come home as soon as you can. I'll be here.**  
**I love you.**

**

* * *

**TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Title: I don't know 2/?  
Author: Lysangelle  
Pairing: Callie/Arizona  
Rating: PG-13  
Spoiler Alert: Post 7x17 "That's me trying". If you didn't see it and prefer to stay spoiler free, you shouldn't read this as some hints to it are bound to show up in the story.

Summary: This is chapter 2; Arizona is in Malawi and receives Callie's answer to her letter.

Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

A/N: Some of you have been nice enough to ask me to continue my story 'I don't know' and like I'm a nice girl, I'm trying to satisfy you all. ;-)

Special thanks to loveaz for the encouragements

I can't promise it'll be as moving as the first chapter, but let's have a go…  
Unbeta'ed, blame me for all the mistakes in there. No really, blame me, I deserve it.

* * *

A mountain of stone, a door of steel.  
Can't stand in my way, I'd go on.  
Brutal machines, unbending laws  
Can't slow me down, I'd go on.  
I've learned how to deal and when to fight  
I know what's real, I know what's right.  
I'm not afraid, a wounded dove,  
I can be tender in a world so tough.

I'm sure I could face the bitter cold,  
But life without you, I don't know.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Arizona Victoria Robbins sighed as she closed the last application file of a huge pile. She rubbed her eyes and looked around her as she stretched her stiff back.  
The area around her was starting to look like the clinic it was supposed to be.

She smiled at that small accomplishment, knowing it was just a beginning. With the help of the famous Carter Madison Grant to back her demands, she managed to collect most of the material, medical and other, that she needed. The rest was on its way.

The paeds surgeon had been in Malawi for three weeks and had buried herself in the work like if her life depended on it. And it was, in a way. She wasn't sure how she would have dealt with the situation with Callie without the whirlwind she created around herself to get her project on track.

Now, after just three weeks, she had relatively fitting premises, most of the material she'd need for the launching of her surgical clinic, a huge pile of applications from people wanting to work with her. Nurses, surgeons, staff members, both locals and international, were just waiting to be picked.

The blonde stood up, turning the desk light off and looking at her watch; almost 11PM. Like every time she checked the time since her arrival in Africa, she quickly calculated the time difference. Almost 1PM in Seattle. Lunch time. She smiled lightly as she pictured her Calliope sitting with Mark, teasing him or sharing stories of badass surgeries. Like usual too, she felt a pain grabbing her heart at the thought of the woman she felt she had to left behind. She was missing her girlfriend so badly.

It's been almost three weeks since she sent the letter she wrote during her flight. Without rereading it, she didn't want to change her mind. With anyone else she would have allowed her pride to take over and probably would have shred that letter to pieces. It was just reveling too much of her heart. But she couldn't afford that with Callie Torres. Not anymore. Last break up had been hell and the shooting had shown her that she couldn't live without the dark haired woman. What does it matter if they were diametrically different and didn't always understand each other? What mattered was that they love each other deeply. And Arizona knew that she'd never love anyone as much as she loved Calliope Torres.

Before she even sat in the plane, she knew that she wouldn't be leaving things as they were between Callie and herself. She knew she had done what she needed to do to make sure Callie was happy. Arizona had no doubt that the Ortho surgeon would be happier staying in Seattle. Even if she was aware that she hurt her badly by leaving her standing in the middle of an airport. Boy, did she hate airports! That last event making it even worse!

Arizona walked around the first floor, checking that nothing was amiss. She looked through the door of tiny scrub room who was separating her from the small but well equipped OR. Then she crossed the recovery room that was just awaiting newly healed tiny humans.

The paeds surgeon wondered briefly how long it would take for a letter to make it from Malawi to Washington State. It wasn't called snail mail for nothing, she reasoned herself. She walked past the front desk where she'd been working all evening and toward the door marked 'private' at the back to of room.

The renovated factory was separated in two areas, the first floor would be the clinic itself and the second floor was divided in a big storage area and smaller living quarters.

Arizona stepped into the all in one room that would be her home for a while. Turning one of the few lights on she inspected her new space, trying to see what little odd job still needed to be done. The space was smartly installed and possessed all the little luxuries that a country like Malawi could offer. It was just a bit small. The blonde gave a short bittersweet laugh as she thought of all the bickering that would have happened in this place if she and Callie had to share such tight quarters. She sighed as she realized she'd give a lot just to be able to do all that bickering with her stubborn lover. Even knowing she was the reason for Callie's absence, it still was painful.

The blonde spied a few jobs that could use your attention but she felt restless. She moved to the window to lift the heavy blind that would keep the hot sun out during the day.

"I wish you could be here with me to see this, baby." She whispered to herself as she watched the breathtaking view of a huge lake in the distance.

Arizona growled, why couldn't she get Callie out of her mind, even with all the work she had to do and all the stuff that was occupying her mind? It was pure torture. She doubted herself and her decisions all the time, wondering if she'd feel this way forever. She kept hoping for some kind of response from the woman she loved. One way or another she was hoping it would settle her doubts and uncertainties.

The blonde thought she had two main options. One was that Callie would send her to hell for good and then she'd stay in Africa for the planned three years. With the hope that working hard would help her overcome loosing the love of her life. Or Callie was ready to try and give her another chance. In that case she'd put plan B into action. She'd select a few trustworthy, experienced surgeons and staff and train them to take over the 'in the fiel'd part of her project. She could oversee the whole thing from Seattle, with frequent trips over to check on things. She gulped at the thought of spending so much time in airplanes but if it was to be with Callie; dammit it was more than worth it.

Arizona moved away from the window and went to sit at her desk, turning her laptop on. Maybe she could distract herself for a while with some internet browsing. She silently thank her absent nerdy lover who offered her the USB stick that magically would get her online from almost anywhere. She remembered Callie talking about satellite and such things at the time but most of it went right over her head.

Tears gathered in Arizona's blue eyes as her wallpaper appeared. The same picture of her and Callie that her lover accidentally displayed for the whole hospital to see was covering the full screen of her computer.

The blond woman took a deep breath, pushing back the tears and jumped when her email program loud notifier popped up.

She automatically opened the program, expecting a mail from someone wanting her to buy a blue pill to fix the lack of stiffness of an organ she didn't possess.  
Instead her breath caught when she read 'Calliope' in the sender column. For some reason she hadn't expect an email. She has been waiting for a letter or possibly a phone call from an enraged badass surgeon who would send her fuck herself or something.

It's been three weeks since she sent that letter and she suspected Callie only received it recently. And now she was about to see what the woman she loved had to answer to that letter.

She checked the timestamp and saw that the mail has been received only a few hours ago. Callie probably sent it in the evening, Seattle time. Yesterday. That time difference thing was still confusing her.

With a trembling hand she clicked on the mail subject to open it, realizing she was terrified of what she would be finding.

She read:

**To: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins  
****From: BadassTorres**  
**Subject:**

**Come home as soon as you can. I'll be here.  
****I love you.**

Unable to help herself, Arizona Robbins burst into tears of relief and happiness and retrospective fear.

* * *

Callie Torres ran the back of her hand across her face, pushing away some wayward strands of hair, not noticing the streak of yellowish beige paint she left across her cheek. This new haircut would take some getting used too. At this length her hair was surprisingly getting in the way a lot more than when it was longer. She winced when she thought about how Arizona would react to the shorter hairdo. Her ex/current/future girlfriend adored her long hair. She was spending much of their lovemaking with her small hands buried in dark thick strands. At least when her hands weren't needed elsewhere.

Callie chuckled, she was already thinking of Arizona as her lover again. She needed to work on that. The honey skinned woman wasn't quite ready to forgive the blonde for abandoning her in an airport. It was just too painful and bringing back very bad memories. But reading Arizona's heartfelt letter gave her a better understanding of the woman she loved. After reading the long letter, the tall woman was feeling more loved and needed than ever before. Even if it took for them to be apart for Arizona to finally admit to some of those things she confessed about in her missive. Callie felt loved and needed but was still mad at some level.

The ortho badass stepped back to inspect her work, it was starting to look good. Reading Arizona's letter the day before had given her the energy she needed to get her butt in gear. She put her day off to good use and dove right into the painting project. Arizona had been right, not that she would have admitted it to the blonde. The light color was doing a lot for the place. It even made the room look bigger.

She was kneeling down to gather her material and take it to the bathroom to clean when her laptop rang. "You have new mail" a particularly annoying voice announced.

Callie froze as that notifier was linked to her private email, an address that a very few people knew of. She rubbed her hands with a cloth as she approached the kitchen counter where her computer was sitting.

The ortho surgeon nervously opened the new mail; she'd become anxious shortly after she sent that mail to Arizona the night before. Callie knew what her heart was telling her, it was word for word what her mail had been saying. But her brain had kicked in since, bringing up to the forefront all the unanswered questions that were still hanging between them.

The mail was coming from the one person she was hoping, but also dreading, to read.

**To: BadassTorres**  
**From: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins  
****Subject: Re:**

**Thank you, Calliope.**  
**Thank you so very much for not giving up on us.**  
**Thank you for forgiving me.**

**I love you.**

**Arizona**

Callie checked the time on her laptop, noting it was almost 2PM and quickly adding the ten hours difference she decided to answer right away. It was late for Arizona but she couldn't wait to answer. Once more she decided to let her heart do the talking.

She hit the reply button and quickly typed her answer.

**To: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins  
****From: ****BadassTorres**  
**Subject: Re: Re:**

**I love you too, Arizona Robbins.**

**But don't thank me just yet. **  
**We have a lot to talk about.**

**You're not quite off the hook yet.**

**Callie  
**

'There,' the tall woman thought as she hit the send button, 'loving but still stern… I think.'

* * *

Arizona was moving aimlessly around the room. She was tired but unwilling to turn her computer off and go to bed. She didn't expect to get an answer tonight, thinking that Callie was working and wouldn't check her emails for hours but she just couldn't cut herself from the web yet. It made her feel closer to the woman she loved to be connected to the giant network.

Therefore she jumped when the scream of the funny character, that one of her kid had set as her incoming email warning, resounded loudly in the room.

"Jesus! Colin, I'd kill you if I didn't have to work so hard to keep you alive!" The blonde exclaimed loudly.

Arizona sat back at the desk and her feverish hand moved over the keyboard.

She read Callie's mail a couple of times then sighed. She felt that a step had been taken in the right direction but was aware that, like Callie hinted, it would take some work to fix their relationship.

The blond haired woman hit reply and typed another short mail back to the love of her life:

**To: BadassTorres**  
**From: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins  
****Subject: Re: Re: Re:**

**I know we have to work on this. I really do, Callie.**  
**If you need to yell at me, just do it. I can take it and besides; I deserve it for hurting you.**

**If you want, you could call me. I won't push you. If you don't feel like it, I'll understand.**

**I do love you Callie Torres.**

**Arizona**

* * *

Callie smiled lightly as she read Arizona's latest mail. She barely had time to delete the two dozens of spam emails from her inbox, thinking she decidedly wasn't checking that account often enough, when the new mail arrived.

"You don't waste any time, do you, Robbins." The dark haired woman whispered to herself.

Checking the time again and seeing it was way too late for Arizona to still be up when in the middle of such a heavy workload, Callie sent a brief answer:

**To: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins  
****From: BadassTorres**  
**Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re:**

**It's too soon for me to call you, Arizona. You did hurt me and I need time. But I'll do some yelling for sure.**

**But, for now, you should be in bed, sleeping. You need to rest if you want to stay on top of your game and kick ass. So; go to bed now!**  
**I'll do the yelling later.**

**I love you too.**

**Callie**

**P.S.: I've been so absorbed by the whole issue that I forgot to tell you:**

**I AM proud of you Arizona. I really am. **

* * *

Arizona started crying again when she read the words she's been waiting to hear from her lover ever since they heard about the grant.

She sent a quick answer:

**To: BadassTorres**  
**From: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins  
****Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:**

**Yes Ma'am! Good night.**

**Arizona**

With a small relieved smile and her heart lighter than it had felt in three weeks, Arizona Robbins undressed and slipped in bed. Knowing that her sleep would be peaceful for the first time since her arrival in Malawi.

* * *

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Title: I don't know  
Author: Lysangelle  
Pairing: Callie/Arizona  
Rating: PG-13

Spoiler Alert: Post 7x17 "That's me trying". If you didn't see it and prefer to stay spoiler free, you shouldn't read this as some hints to it and following episodes are bound to show up in the story. But I'll miss you :-)

Summary: Chapter 3. Our girls are trying to reconnect despite the distance. Some issues come back up to the surface for both of them. This one is angsty but we need to go through angst to reach happier and lighter times, hold on. This is where the story gets away from the show actual events. No going there for me, no sir!

Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

A/N: I refuse to include the latest Callie/Mark events in this story. Because for me it's the worse thing that Callie could do. Whatever the writers have in mind to get to the "wonderful" part of the girls' storyline that Shonda promised us for this season. This really is the "painful" part and I don't do painful. Well not that kind of painful. that's just, well, too painful.

This chapter is dedicated to Loveaz, I'll be trying to 'fix' the Erica/Arizona somewhat identical leaving issue for you, my friend.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Callie Torres was sitting in the lounge, her head resting on a closed fist, bored to death. Her iPhone resting on the table in front of her.

Internally she was cursing Webber who had obviously tricked her. It looked like she had even less work than before, despite his promises of big plans.  
The lack of progress in her work made her wonder if she didn't miss a big opportunity by staying in Seattle. Of course Arizona had been the one to decide that Callie wouldn't go with her to Malawi. But when she thought back to her behavior previous to their departure, she could see why the blonde reacted the way she did. It took the letter that Arizona sent her to open her eyes but now she was feeling guilty, if still a bit pissed off at how Arizona left her.

Mark Sloan entered the room and silently sat facing his BFF and mirrored her position, spying the numerous looks that the beautiful woman was sending to her iPhone.

"Earth to Torres." Mark deadpanned.

When he didn't get an answer, the tall man forged ahead: "Hello Houston. We have a problem. It seems Torres had been launched into orbit and lost all of her communication devices."

Callie suddenly shook herself out of her trance.

"Huh? What? Someone broke an orbit?"

Mark burst out laughing.

The dark haired woman seemed to shrink back in her chair.

"Guess not huh? What do you want Mark?"

Sloan frowned, his laughter dying suddenly; "You're such a wet blanket lately, Torres. What's up with you?"

"Oh, nothing." Callie answered in a light voice. "Just being bored to death."

She looked down at her iPhone again as Mark watched her more closely, trying to find a way to shake her off of her mood.

"Hey you know," the not always subtle man started, "I'm starting to see what they mean about lesbian partners ending up looking alike."

Callie rolled her eyes; "What the hell are you talking about now?"

Sloan smiled; feeling his friend very close to taking the bait.

"Well look at you. I'm not a specialist but isn't your new haircut similar to the hairstyle Robbins was sporting when you started dating her? And now she's the one wearing her hair long."

Callie smiled as a picture of the woman with the blonde bouncy curls and amazing smile who approached her in a bar bathroom popped in her mind.

"She was so damn beautiful with that look." The tall woman said quietly with a tender smile.

Mark Sloan frowned again when the needling didn't work to shake his friend out of her apparent funk.

"Ok, I demand to know what happened to you, Torres. For the last three weeks you've been cursing at Robbins in between the crying fits and now you're all misty-eyed talking about her again. What's going on? And stop checking that damn phone!" Sloan finished as he grabbed the iPhone from under Callie's nose.

"Give me that back Sloan! Or I break every digit you possess including the ones at the end of your big feet!"

The tall man gulped, more at the tone in his BFF's voice than the empty threat, and hand over the phone.

The ortho surgeon looked up sheepishly at Mark and mumbled: "I'm sorry. I'm expecting a mail and it makes me a bit antsy."

"And bitchy." Sloan added smugly. "So who's supposed to send you that oh so important mail?"

Callie bit her bottom lip, debating with herself about if she wanted to tell anyone about the renewed fragile connection with the woman she loved.

"Arizona." She mumbled again after coming to the decision that Mark was usually of good advice despite his manwhore habits.

"Excuse me? Did you say 'Arizona'? Like the blonde that dumped you in an airport? All by yourself with your suitcase and broken heart? That Arizona?"

Callie jumped; "She didn't dump me!"

Sloan just tilted his head at her outburst.

"Ok, that's what it looks like." The honey skinned woman sighed. "But she wrote to me, Mark. She explained some things and why she did this."

Mark frowned yet again; "And you believe her?"

"Yes I do. I won't give you details, but let's just say she saw I'd be unhappy in Africa and didn't see any other way to make me stay here. Can't you see? She did this for my sake. Even if she used a very painful way to reach her goal."

"Callie, are you sure about this?" Sloan started with a cautious look on his face, "I like Arizona, I really do. But I saw you being hurt because of her one too many times."

The ortho surgeon smiled, touched by the worry her friend was showing for her.

"Yes, I'm sure, Mark." Callie answered in a confident voice. "You remember when we had that conversation and I told you that I love her?"

Sloan only nodded in answer.

"You answered me that you knew that I love her but that I needed to figure out how to love Africa too. Don't you see? Arizona knew what you did and she took the only decision she could think of at the time. Sure, I've suffered from it. But I love her so much, Mark. I need to try and fix this with her. She is the one for me and I can't just give up on us. Despite what happened between us in the last year, we have to try and go over that new hurdle, I won't ever forgive myself if I don't try."

Mark sighed and moved to pull Callie to her feet and hug her tight.

"I know, Cal. I know." He whispered in her ear. "I'll be here whatever happens."

The tall woman smiled against the strong shoulder cushioning her head.

They separated when Sloan's beeper went off.

"Ok gotta go." He said slowly as he headed toward the door. "Oh by the way, Torres. I still think you should give me that French press that Arizona wanted me to have!"

With that he was out the door, leaving a somewhat relieved Callie alone with her iPhone.

* * *

Arizona was feeling dazed, her day had been hectic. Many of the last material orders had arrived at the same time and the couple of assistants she had hired recently were just too inexperienced to be much help yet.

She had been fighting all day with paper work and spent way too much time on the phone to settle some last minute details.

The blonde was a nervous wreck. Between the heavy demands of something as big as her current project, the challenge of getting used to her new life in Africa and the energy she wanted to dedicate to fixing her relationship with Callie, she was close to breaking down. But she was just too determined to have it all. It would take a lot of work and energy to put her life on the right tracks again but she refused to give up. She would make both her project and her relationship work whatever the cost to herself.

It was past 11PM when Arizona climbed the stairs to her living quarters, she was anxious to get to her laptop. The blonde had wanted to send a mail to Callie since the morning, hoping to find some time to do so during the day. But it had been in vain. She wanted to reassure the other woman by showing her that she was there, only a mail away and determined to win her back.

But work had taken over all of her time. This was the most hectic time for her soon to open surgical clinic. And it all was coming to a head as weeks seemed to go faster and faster.

The blonde sat at her desk, instantly noticing the funny character jumping around her screen. Wondering if Callie had been faster, she quickly opened the new mail. She read the subject line and gulped.

**To: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins**  
**From: BadassTorres**  
**Subject: Ready to be yelled at?**

**So here I am, I've been at work since 3AM, doing absolutely NOTHING. I hate to admit it but you were right, Webber was just messing with my head. It's now lunch time and I've been hanging around, more or less waiting for a mail from you. Not that I'm blaming you! I know you must be super busy right now. Like super super busy. No I'm not blaming you, but it sure left me time to think. A lot of time to think.**

**I talked to Mark this morning. Actually he cornered me and made me confess. He understands that we want to try and fix this but he warned me to be cautious anyway. I can see his point too; he had to pick up the pieces after I broke down too many times. And God knows you left me in such tiny pieces, so many tiny pieces, a lot more pieces than anyone before. And not once but twice.**

**And now that the relief I felt when I read that I didn't loose you is evaporating… Well yeah I feel like yelling at you!**

**Do you know what you did to me, Arizona? You broke me! You left me in that airport, standing among a sea of strangers, trying to hide my tears and you just walked away! You! Arizona Robbins who made me believe you were different and that you wouldn't leave me in such a cold way. Or just leave me for that matter.**

**But you did and even if I know what your hidden reasons were, I just can't forget the hurt you put me through. Not yet.**

**You left me without looking back, Arizona! And it was the Erica nightmare all over again, except that instead of a close friend, it's the love of my life I had to watch walk away from me. And it was so much worse than with Erica!**

**It made me wonder again what was wrong with me that everyone was leaving me. And you, Arizona, you; abandoning me when I was starting to think you really wanted to be with me, that we would make a life together.**

**I understand now why you think you had to leave without me, I really do, but it doesn't make it any less scary.**

**Yes I admit it, I'm scared! The big badass Callie Torres is scared! Because I don't think I could survive if you were to leave me again, Robbins!**

**I know I've been a bitch during this last couple of weeks. I realize that. And that I have my part of responsibilities in what happened.**

**And yes, I want to work on this with you but things have to change, for both of us. We need to clean up this slate, Arizona, and build back our relationship on healthier basis.**

**Is that enough yelling for you? Because, honestly, I'm exhausted right now.**

**What really matters is that I do love you, Arizona Robbins. And I want a life with you, a full long life. You're the one for me.**

**I'll fight for us if you do the same**

**I love you**

**Callie**

**

* * *

**

The tears were running down Arizona's cheeks as she finished reading her lover's pain filled mail.

Arizona had known she would hurt Callie by leaving that way but it happened too fast, she hadn't been aware of on how many levels her actions would affect the younger woman.

She was slightly hurt to be compared to Erica Hahn but she couldn't blame Callie for making the comparison either.

Despite the late hour and eyes left sore and blurry from too many tears, the paeds surgeon hit the reply button.

**To: BadassTorres**  
**From: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins**  
**Subject: RE: Ready to be yelled at?**

**I'm sorry, Calliope. I won't try to defend myself and pretend our separation went the best possible way. The truth is I didn't have time to think it through. Until the last minute I denied the obvious and when the time came to act, I just didn't have time to process all the consequences. All I knew was that I had to make you stay.**

**You're right; we need to rebuild our relationship on healthier basis so for the sake of that relationship I'll be honest with you.**  
**It hurt me a bit to be compared to Erica. Even if I can see why you made the connection.**

**But I'm not Erica, Callie. I know the circumstances might look the same but I didn't leave you, in that airport, to disappear out of your life without a word or an explanation. I didn't leave you because I didn't want to be involved with you. I left because I thought that after the first painful period, you'd be happier in Seattle, surrounded by your friends and colleagues, doing the things you wanted for yourself.**

**And I thought I could do this. Leave you behind, to be happy at home, while I'd try to be happy here, alone. But I was wrong. The days are going by, busy, sometimes frustrating, and still I can't get you out of my mind. Whatever I'm doing, you're there, whispering in my mind. Not allowing me to forget you even for a second of the day.**

**My deepest wish would be to go back and work this out between us in a different way. I'm blaming myself for choosing to stay blind for too long. But I can't change that anymore.**

**I'm just hoping that we can get past this and rebuild a relationship. I'm hoping you can really forgive me with time.**

**So, if you need to, yell at me some more, tear into me as bad as you can but just don't forget; I love you more than anything.**

**Love**

**Arizona**

**

* * *

**

Sitting on the couch in her freshly painted living room, Callie Torres was nursing a fresh bottle of beer. It was early in the afternoon but her work day had been frustrating. With way too much time to think and too little work, she had to fight with herself to avoid exploding.

The ortho surgeon's nerves were severely put to the test. This email tag playing with Arizona was taxing. Even if, at some level, Callie thought this might be a good way for them to actually talk to each other without the inevitable interruption from the other, the bursts of anger or the avoidance attempts.

By writing they can express things to each other that they probably wouldn't have been able to do face to face.

The honey skinned woman was at that stage of her thinking process when her laptop warned her of the arrival of a new mail. She cringed at the memory of the last mail to Arizona. Emailing might be a good thing but it made the wait for the answers quite more nerve wracking.

* * *

**To: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins**  
**From: BadassTorres**  
**Subject: No more yelling**

**I don't want to yell at you anymore, Arizona. Actually I want nothing more than to erase this whole thing, but how could I?**

**I thought we were back together, even stronger after the shooting. But this last break up…It took something away from me.**

**You remember, during the lock up, when I told you I know squat about you? Well I feel even more like I don't know you. You have reactions I don't see coming or understand and it's scaring me. How can I keep faith in our relationship if I keep wondering how you're going to react to each new event in our lives? If I worry that I'm going to loose you at each corner?**

**It's going to take time, honey. I'm ready to work on this because I can't live without you either. But it'll take time.**

**Just remember that I love you too.**

**Yours**

**Callie**

**

* * *

**

To be continued in chapter 4


	4. Chapter 4

Title: I don't know 4/?  
Author: Lysangelle  
Pairing: Callie/Arizona  
Rating: PG-13

Spoiler Alert: Post 7x17 "That's me trying". If you didn't see it and prefer to stay spoiler free, you shouldn't read this as some hints to it and following episodes are bound to show up in the story. But I'll miss you J

Summary: Chapter 4. Our girls are trying to reconnect despite the distance. Some things are easier to say in writing…

Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

A/N: As you'll see, this is the last chapter with emails exchange, I think it's time to go to next step up toward their reunion. I hope you'll still like it with the new stage.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Arizona Robbins, pediatric surgeon, winner of the prestigious Carter Madison Grant was sitting in her office of the soon to open 'Surgery for children' clinic. She was in the stage of interviewing local applicants for various jobs that needed to be filled up before the clinic could open.

The paeds surgeon intended to favor the locals over the international applicants as she believed the kids would respond better to adults they could relate to.  
Those children would be stressed out enough from their sickness and their new situation to add to it by surrounding them with alien people.

Arizona was in the middle of an interview with a young Malawian doctor who studied medicine in the States when her laptop emitted that silly sound warning her that a new mail arrived in her mailbox. 'I really have to change that thing' she thought as she gave an apologetic smile to the man across her desk.

The blonde had started to carry her laptop around the clinic during the day.

As fulfilling and gratifying as her project and the work it was bringing was for Arizona, she really was living her days for the mails she received from the woman she loved.

She shook herself and picked up the conversation with the very promising applicant.

As soon as the interview was done and that she made an appointment with her probably new assistant, she grabbed her laptop and ran to her room to read the new mail she was really hoping came from one tall breathtaking brunette.

To: BadassTorres  
From: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins  
Subject: RE: No more yelling

You did say that you don't know squat about me but you're wrong. You know me, at least the real me. The woman you practically lived with for months, that's the real me. I'm perky, I'm devoted to my patients, I eat donuts when I'm sad, I cry when I have to confront authority figures, though I'm working on it. I have sudden urges to pull you in on-call rooms and heal your headaches because you're so damn breathtaking.

True, I guess you can say I have a darker side. A side I usually don't show because it shows my weaknesses and you know how much I hate that. The things you feel you don't know about me, because I didn't talk to you about them? Those things are like my brother's death; terrible life's incidents. They have a part in building the person I turned into but they don't define who I am.

The other things I kept hidden from you and let them fester until I exploded at you and accused you of falling in love all the time were born from my insecurities. I was unsure about how deeply you were involved in US. About if and how easily you could go back to men. I said it before; you have a huge heart and it's one of the reasons I love you but how could I have been certain of the depth of your feelings for me when you get involved so deeply in everything you do, and everyone you met. So yeah, I stayed cautious and started worrying at the first sign of something being off between us.

And I must admit that having Mark around, always hovering over you, as a constant reminder of some things didn't help. I get that you are best friends and that you give yourself wholly to your friendships as well as your loves, but you see? That's why I never could be sure I was different for you; that I was holding that special spot in your heart that only one person can hold. It might be selfish but I needed proofs that I was one step higher than anyone else on you love meter.

I know I need to work on some things; I need to be more open with you, be totally honest and not worry that you'd go away if I tell you something you might not like. I need to stop pretending things are alright or avoiding the confrontation.

The most important part is that everything that happened between us made me realize the biggest part of who I am. I'm the woman who can't live without you.

I love you, Calliope. I miss you so much.

Arizona

* * *

Callie Torres was scrubbing out from a routine surgery, wondering if the chief was trying to punish her in some hidden way. She'd been restricted to routine surgery and somehow something always happened and prevented her to take part when something interesting was showing up.

In other words, there was nothing to help taking her mind off of her constant train of thoughts involving a certain blonde beauty that she was starting to miss like crazy. Since their heart to heart via emails, Callie was feeling closer to her girlfriend. And with the renewed emotional closeness came the physical need.

Callie always had been a physical being and not being able to hold the woman she loved and wanted to comfort in her arms was starting to get to her.

She jumped when her iPhone warned her that a new mail was waiting for her.  
She grabbed it quickly, almost dropping in her haste to check it.

To: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins  
From: BadassTorres  
Subject:

How could I make you see that you can trust me with your heart? That I won't leave you for the coffee cart girl or whatever? That I couldn't go back to Mark and how I was before. How could I prove to you that you do hold that special spot in my heart? A spot that nothing, and no one, not even you, can pry you out of.

I was ready to move to Malawi for three years. Even if I didn't want to go to Africa, I decided to go, just to be with you! Because I couldn't stand the thought of not being with you. What better proof of how deeply and totally involved in our relationship I am would you need?

I miss you too.

I'm emailing from my iPhone and just got paged, I gotta go.

I love you, awesome.

Callie

* * *

Arizona Robbins was nervously twisting the old model phone's cord between her fingers as she talked on the phone.

"No, Sir, it doesn't mean I give up all responsibilities on the project. I intend to follow this project every step of the way until its completion." The paeds surgeon assured the man on the phone.

"I believe with all my heart that we can do so much good for the children that it'll make a real difference and I'm not going to give up. I just think I can supervise the project from the States. I hired very competent people that I intend to train thoroughly."

The blonde cringed as the man interrupted her, she wasn't going to cry.

"Yes, sir, I checked every of those applicants' background and I put together a team I'm certain will be up to the task. I wouldn't consider this if I didn't think I'd leave the clinic in very capable hands."

Arizona listened to the very stern sounding man for a while as the conversation was coming to an end.

"Yes, I understand that it's a big change of plans, Sir. But I know we can make it work. I'm sure you can understand my position. I heard from a fellow attending of Seattle Grace that the new paeds attending is a jerk and I can't give my people up to such a man, Sir."

The blonde's face relaxed when the man burst out laughing.

"Yes, Sir, it's what most people say about me." Arizona answered to the parting words the man was addressing her. "I'll keep you up to date, Sir. Thank you. Bye."

The blonde leaned back in her desk chair letting out a whoop of relief. Her plan was going to work. She whooped again when her laptop announced a new mail.

Arizona read the same sentences for the hundredth time: What better proof of how deeply and totally involved in our relationship I am would you need?

Time had done its job and even if it's been just under a month it was obvious both women's point of view had changed.

The paeds surgeon dry the few tears running from her eyes and started typing.

To: BadassTorres  
From: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins  
Subject: RE:

I can't deny it, all through our relationship I've been floating between two feelings, almost like I had a multiple personality. On one hand I've stayed cautious about how much of myself I was giving to that relationship. You have history, Callie. I know I do too, like everyone. But your history is the kind that raises all kind of red flags for me! And on the other hand I find you so amazing, so breathtakingly stunning that I just can't stay away! Just like that first date of ours, I tried to say no to you but couldn't stick with it. Because you fascinated me since the first sight I got of you. I couldn't stay away despite the red flag and warning bell. Because I wanted to be with you, I wanted to know you, even if it was for a short time like I expected it to be. But then it became more serious between us and issues started to raise, it wasn't just for the fun anymore and I started being scared of putting my heart on the line.

It was like I couldn't totally allow myself to be carefree. And I hid that from you too. Always pretending to be the happy perky one, even the few times when my doubts were re-emerging.

But little by little you made the warning bell stop ringing, and you put the red flags down, one by one. With your demonstrations of love, the way you choose 'us' over your parents and so many little things. And I started relaxing in our relationship; but sometimes… sometimes, something happens and the red flag rises up again! You allow Mark in our bed or you flirt with a patient. And I know it is part of the woman you are, I know it's because of that huge heart of yours. And deep inside me I wonder again; why would I be different? Why would I be the one for her? Am I really different? Or am I just a stage in your passionate life?

But I started to trust your love for me, Callie. After everything that happened to us, I'm not as scared of you leaving me. I've been able to let go when we're together. I've been starting to forget my doubts about giving too much of myself to this relationship. I moved in with you without a doubt because I knew with you is where I want to be. But I'm still scared, so scared, I'd loose you some way. It's like there's still a tiny part of me holding back. Out of fear of loosing the real love of my life.

But what would my life be like if I stayed away from the woman I love out of fear of loosing what we have together?

I want us to talk this through and put it all behind us.

I want to be with you too, Calliope. More than anything.

Love

Yours always

Arizona

* * *

Callie had to wait to be home to check her mails again; her battery had died on her hours ago.

When she did, the last mail from Arizona finished to destroy the last barriers she had put around her heart when her lover had left her in that damn airport.

To: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins  
From: BadassTorres  
Subject:

Call me

* * *

To be continued in chapter 5


	5. Chapter 5

Title: I don't know 5/?  
Author: Lysangelle  
Pairing: Callie/Arizona  
Rating: PG-13

Spoiler Alert: Post 7x07 "That's me trying". If you didn't see it and prefer to stay spoiler free, you shouldn't read this as some hints to it and following episodes are bound to show up in the story. But I'll miss you J

Summary: Chapter 5. Callie and Arizona are trying to reconnect despite the distance. The girls get to the next step in their reconciliation attempt…

Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

A/N: I know some of you really liked the mail exchange format but I felt I exhausted that and needed to go forward. I hope you'll still like the story and where it's heading.

Big thanks to loveaz for her insights on this story; you got me out of a couple of traps in there my friend, thank you.

A/N: To avoid weighing down your reading by adding constant 'this one said this', 'the other answered that', I'm formatting the story in the hope 'who says what' will be more obvious.  
(I'll just have to be careful to check the auto formatting option on some of the sites!)

Arizona: "Normal"  
Callie: "_Italics" _

_

* * *

_**Chapter 5**

To: ArizonaAwesomeRobbins  
From: BadassTorres  
Subject:

Call me

* * *

Arizona took a deep shaky breath. The mail that was waiting for her when she finally headed to her temporary home, very late that night, left her breathless.

She knew opening the deepest corners of her heart to Callie had been the right thing to do, and doing it with mails had been easier. But now that everything was in the open, talking to her was making her nervous.

Checking the timestamp on the mail, she realized Callie had sent it less than an hour ago. The temptation to hear the voice she loved so deeply was strong but her nerves were having the best of her at that time. She paced up and down the room for a few minutes, taking deep breaths until the need to hear her love got the best of her.

Walking to her laptop's case she dug out a small device that she plugged into the USB port of her computer. The device was another of Nerdy Callie's findings. Arizona smiled as she remembered how excited Callie had been when she brought it home, saying that little thing was going to allow them to call all their friends and family in the States for free.

Luckily, it had been packed in Arizona's laptop's case and not Callie's.

The blonde quickly hooked up the phone handset to the device and having a last attack of nerves, put it down on the desk's top. She rubbed her damp hands on her thighs and grabbed the handset again, entering the memorized number on the program's numeric keypad before she could change her mind.

* * *

Callie turned in bed until she faced the nightstand and be able to grab her iPhone. The unknown number on the screen threw her out and she answered hesitantly.

_"Hello?"_

"H… Hi."

_"Arizona?"  
_

The paeds surgeon smiled tenderly at the childish hesitant voice that was calling her name, her nervousness evaporating as she heard that her love was just as nervous.

"Yeah, it's me."

_"Thank you for calling. I wasn't sure you would."_

"Well to be honest with you, I was so nervous that I almost didn't."

_"What made you at the end?"_

"I couldn't spend another day without hearing your voice again."

The admission easily coming from Arizona made Callie's throat tighten. But suddenly a burst of pain and anger exploded in her chest and she had to ask again.

_"Why, Arizona? Why did you leave me?"_

The blue eyes of the blonde filled up with fresh tears as she felt again how badly she hurt the woman she loved.

"I had to! I protect the things I love. I did what I thought was best for you. What I thought would make you happier in the ling run."

"_Well you can stop trying to protect me; I'm a grown woman! Especially if protecting me means breaking up with me!"_

"I…I'm sorry, Calliope."

The remorse and pain in the sweet voice made Callie's anger disappear instantly.

_"Baby, I'm not mad. It's just that I wish you'd stopped making decisions like that for me. I can decide what I want for myself. And what I want is to be with you. In Malawi or in Seattle. With or without children. Just as long as I'm with you. Understood?"_

"Yes ma'am. Understood."

_"Good."  
_

Arizona sighed in relief, hearing those words directly from the beautiful mouth of her girlfriend meant the world to her at this time. She did have another point to clear up though and she plucked up the courage to address it.

"Callie, I understand that you're upset and hurt because I messed up, I admit it; I know I did. But I've been hurting too, and I don't mean only because of our break-up. You need to understand that if we want this relationship to work, there are a few things that need to change. Like your friendship with Mark."

_"Arizona, nothing will ever happen again with Mark. He's like a brother to me now. He's just a great friend to me."_

"I know! I do know that. But I need to explain to you why I have so much trouble with him."

_"What! You mean it wasn't only because he stares at your boobs?"_

Arizona laughed at the fake offended tone Callie used to tease her.

"Nooooo. Even if I still say you're the only one I want staring at my boobs.  
No. The truth is I have trouble sharing you with him."

"_Baby, you're not sharing me with him. I'm all yours."_

"That's the problem, Calliope. I do have to share you with him but you don't see it. I'm glad you have such a great friend and I understand you're dedicated to that friendship but sometimes it gets out of bounds. I mean allowing him to sleep in our bed? Seriously? Or having him burst into our bedroom when we're in bed. And that's only a couple of things among a lot more of them. It's just too much, Callie. It's way out of my comfort zone."

"_It sounds like you feel that I'm favoring my friendship with Mark over our relationship."  
_

The brunette sounded quite put-out and Arizona found that she wanted to make her see her own point of view very badly.

"Well yeah, in a way I do… At times. I don't think you notice it but sometimes you put your friendship with him before our relationship. It sure doesn't help with my insecurities. You have to put yourselves in my shoes, Calliope. How would you feel if I had an ex-girlfriend, who I was still very close to, sleep in bed with us? And it's just the most obvious example."

_"Oh…"_

"Yeah…And when I finally admitted I didn't like him; you expected me, even asked me, to make an effort to try and learn to like him. You didn't even consider asking Mark to try and change some of his ways, did you?"

"_Hum… No. No, I didn't. I'm sorry. I'm such an idiot, sometimes…When I look at it that way…"_

"Callie… We all are idiots at times. But do you think maybe you could try to look at it that way more often? For my sake? For the sake of our couple? Do you think you could do that?"

_"What about going one step further and just set some rules when it comes to Mark's interferences? Set some boundaries, you know…?"  
_

Arizona's smile was blinding as the words registered with her tired brain. Callie could hear the smile in her voice as she asked;

"You mean things like you not gloating when Mark walk in on us in bed? Or hinting at our sex life in his presence? Or not finding it funny when he stumbles on me while I'm naked?"

"_Hum, yeah. That too. But I can't help it if I'm damn proud of how hot my girlfriend is and want him to know it! But it won't happen again. Promise. So? Boundaries setting?"_

"It would be perfect, Calliope, just perfect."

_"And what about we make a deal and just promise that, from now on, we'll be totally honest with each other and we'll talk things through when one of us has a problem with something?"_

"No more avoiding contest, huh?"

"_Nope, we really need to stop those."_

"You have a deal, Dr Torres."

_"Good."  
_

An easy, happy silence settled between the two relieved women. They both were just satisfied to listen to the other's breathing for a while.  
It was Callie who broke the silence, unable to hold in the words she wanted to say any longer.

_"I love you."  
_  
"You do?"

_"I do."  
_  
"I love you too."

Arizona felt tears form in her eyes. At times, when her doubts were rising, she often thought that Callie never seemed to be the first one to say those words. The blonde always tried to reason with herself, to tell herself she must be wrong, that she just couldn't pinpoint those times when Callie actually did initiated the exchange. But it was staying a sore point. Hearing Callie start the replay of their first exchange of _I love yous_ meant a lot to her at this minute.

_"Arizona? You're still there?"_

"Yes… yes, I'm here."

Reassured, Callie allowed another comfortable silence to stretch; unknowingly her thoughts had taken the same path than her lover's.

_"Do you remember that night?"  
_

The blonde woman gave a soft, tender laugh. She couldn't forget the night that changed her life forever even if she was living to be a hundred years old.

"How could I forget that night, Calliope?"

_"I wish we could replay the rest of that night too."  
_

Arizona laughed again, more heartedly this time as a blush blossomed on her pale cheeks as she thought back to that amazing night.

"You just want to get me naked and writhing under you again."

"_Well yeah, it's part of the plan!"_

The women laughed together for a few seconds before Callie started talking again.

"_I miss you."_

"I miss you too, baby."

"_I meant; I miss you, even fully clothed."  
_

Arizona burst out laughing, her girlfriend was just too cute sometimes.

"I know what you meant, Calliope. And I meant the same thing."

After another short silence the blonde hesitantly spoke again.

"Can I ask you a question?"

_"Sure. You can ask me anything, it's our new deal, remember?"_

"Am I your girlfriend?"

It was Callie's turn to laugh.

"_No, Arizona. You're not my girlfriend."  
_

The tall brunette heard the sharp breath intake at the other end of the line and rushed to explain.

"_You're not my girlfriend, Arizona. You're my lover. And when you'll get your cute butt back here, you'll be my live-in lover."  
_

Arizona sighed in relief.

"Yes ma'am."

"_See? You're getting the hang of it."_

"Don't push it, Torres."

Callie laughed until a thought crossed her mind.

_"But what about long distance relationships? You said you didn't believe in them."_

"I changed my mind. I changed my mind about a lot of things since you are in my life, Calliope Torres. Plus I realized that if it takes a long distance relationship to be with the love of your life, then it is way worth it. You're definitively worth it, Callie."

_"Arizona…"  
_

The blonde woman's heart tightens when she heard the choked voice calling her name.

"You are, baby. You're the love of my life. I'll deal with the long distance relationship if you think you can."

"_I can deal with everything if it means you're mine again."_"I never stopped being yours, Calliope Torres."

Callie shivered at the breathy, low tone Arizona used and a rush of need filled her.

_"God, I need to feel you in my arms right now."  
_

Arizona swallowed hard, her own physical need for her lover rising tremendously.

"Callie, you're not making things any easier, here."

"_I'm sorry…Ok, that's a lie, I'm not."  
_

Both women burst out laughing, somewhat killing the thickening mood. After a while the brunette launched the conversation again.

_"I need to tell you again, Arizona. I'm so very proud of you. I was too self-absorbed since this whole thing started, but I really am so proud of you."_

"Thank you, baby. I waited so long to hear that from you."

_"I know… It was another occurrence of me being an idiot."_

"Yep. But that's ok, I forgive you for this time."

_"Oh gee thanks!" _Callie laughed.

"Welcome."

But it's with the next comment that Arizona knew that they were back on tracks for good, she felt all of her body relax at the knowledge.

_"So, how's your project coming along?"_

"Great! Even better than I expected. I hired the team and I think I picked the best there is. And I let the Carter Madison office's director know that there was a change of plans and that I'd train the medical staff then supervise the whole thing from Seattle. He wasn't happy at first but I reminded him that the grant had been allocated to the project, not to my name."

_"So, you…you'll really be coming home? For real?"  
_

Arizona's heart broke a little at the insecurity in her lover's voice.

"Callie, I said I'd deal with the long distance relationship, but I'm not staying away for three years. Yes, I'm coming home. I need some time to train my team to get things on tracks. But when I'll think everything is running smoothly, I'll be on the first plane for Seattle. It still will take time though. I can't promise you that I'll be back within a year. But I won't stay for the full allocated time, that's for sure."

Callie Torres felt all the weeks of loneliness and sorrow wash over her and the dam broke, tears and sobs escaped her in a rush.

"Shhhhhh. Baby, please don't cry. I can't stand to know I'm making you cry again."

_"They're happy tears, Arizona. They're really happy tears."_

"You're sure? What can I do?"

_"Just make sure you're coming back home to me."_

"I'm coming home, Calliope. There's nothing else I can do. Because you are my home."

* * *

Continued in chapter 6


	6. Chapter 6

Title: I don't know 6/?  
Author: Lysangelle  
Pairing: Callie/Arizona  
Rating: PG-13

Spoiler Alert: Post 7x07 "That's me trying". If you didn't see it and prefer to stay spoiler free, you shouldn't read this as some hints to it and following episodes are bound to show up in the story. But I'll miss you J

Summary: Chapter 6. Callie receives a surprise during a long lonely evening.

Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

A/N: I was planning on having this be a NC-17 chapter; but it turned out to be more about reconnecting and the tender side of a true love. You'll have to wait for next chapter for the hot and sexy. Sorry.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

It's been seven months since Arizona Robbins had left Seattle, Washington State, for a long stay in Malawi. Seven months since she had to do one of the hardest things she ever had to, that is to say leaving Calliope Torres, the woman she was sure was the love of her life, behind. She left with the knowledge that she was hurting both of them in the process but with the strong belief she did what was best for her lover's happiness.

And it's been six months since a particular phone call had cleared up things between the two women and brought them back together.

During that half-year, both Arizona and Callie had worked super hard. Callie by taking on extra shifts in the hope of making time goes by faster. And Arizona by working 16 hours days, 6 days a week, to put her pediatric clinic on the right tracks. She spent most of her time between operating on children in need, training the team of surgeons she hired and the dreaded red tape. The only weekly day off she was taking was usually spent sleeping and having long phone conversations with her Calliope.

Many phone calls had happened in the last six months. At times leaving them feeling better just from hearing the voice of their partner. At other times making them crave the other's closeness even more. But neither would have given up those bittersweet talks for all the tea in China.

They both lived for those almost daily calls and the hundreds of mails they exchanged over that time apart, who combined, were making them feel like they still did share a life together.

But, unknown to Callie, Arizona had been making some major plans.

* * *

"Torres!" A well known but no longer intimidating voice called from behind the dark haired ortho goddess as she was walking quickly down the hallway toward the doctor's lounge where a much needed coffee was hopefully waiting for her.

Callie stopped instantly and turned around. Even if she wasn't intimidated by Miranda Bailey anymore, the Pavlov's reflex was still present. When Bailey called for you, you stopped and waited for her.

"Torres," Bailey repeated as she walked to her, "I have a young man complaining of pains in his lower leg, I'm thinking about a hairline fracture, could you go see him when you have a minute?"

"Sure, Bailey." The taller woman answered slowly, "As soon as I get some life saving coffee into me."

The short general surgeon looked at the other woman and frowned.

"You look dead on your feet, Torres."

"Oh you mean I'm not really dead? Damn, feels pretty close though." Callie deadpanned as she took the new case's file out of the short woman's hand.

Bailey grabbed the taller surgeon's arm and pulled her toward the lounge;

"Common, let's get some of that coffee into you."

The dark-haired woman let herself be pulled into the lounge and pushed into a chair.

Soon there was a steaming mug full of obviously strong coffee in front of her.

"We're lucky," Bailey said as she sat across Callie at the table; "it's been made less than 8 hours ago."

Callie snorted and then moaned as she took her first drink of the caffeine concentration.

"So, are you going to tell me why you look like hell? Everything is ok with Robbins, right?" Bailey asked as she sipped her own dark smudge.

"Why, Miranda! If I didn't know better, I'd think you do care." Callie teased. "What happened to the 'I don't want to hear anything about you people's private life' queen?"

Bailey tried to hide her smile behind her mug.

"You're the woman I talked to about third date sex, surgical field and stamp sizes, Torres. You're the closest thing to a friend I have in this place. And Robbins… Well Arizona, in all your perkiness, heely-ness, blue-eyed blondeness, is like a small thing that insinuate itself under your skin and that you can't get out."

"Are you calling my girlfriend a bug, Dr Bailey?"

"No," Miranda laughed, "more like a kitten that gets you to go all mushy; when you think you're allergic to cats."

Callie burst out laughing at the picture.

"It's summing up the beginning of your work relationship with her pretty well." The ortho surgeon said, smiling.

"Oh yeah!" Miranda answered with a fond smile. "I underestimated her from the first look at her. But your girlfriend is nothing if not persistent! And she won my respect."

Callie nodded; "And your friendship. And I know she values that immensely."

True to form, Bailey avoided the emotional slip by dropping her head and taking a long swig of her coffee.

"She's ok out there, though. Right?" The short surgeon asked as indifferently as she could pretend.

"Oh yeah! She good." Torres hurried to reassure the other woman, "You know Arizona; she's giving all she has to her project. Even a bit more than that sometimes."

Bailey smirked; "Do I have to conclude she looks about as terrible as you?"

The tall surgeon snorted.

"I doubt it! Even in her current exhausted state I'd bet she's managing to still look her amazing, gorgeous, sexy self."

"No sexy thoughts of your lover in my presence, Torres! I'm not that close of a friend!" Bailey warned adamantly as she noticed the dazed look appearing in the dark velvet eyes.

Callie bit her bottom lip guiltily;

"Sorry, Bailey. It's just that I didn't see her in over six months."

"I know, Callie. It really wasn't fair that you had to cancel your plans to go visit her every single time." Bailey added with empathy.

"No, it wasn't but it couldn't be helped. Though my patience is wearing thin in some departments by now."

Bailey thrust a hand upward.

"I still don't want to know! Is Arizona the reason you look like you're ready to film a remake of the thriller music video?"

"Kinda." Callie pouted.

"Kinda? Should I go get little Tuck to have him translate the rest of this conversation?"

"It's just so hard, you know?" Callie started with a sigh. "We talk almost every day but we can't have the smallest physical contact. I miss her for the smallest life event, like watching a movie, having dinner…She's in my life, and still she's not here."

"I know, but it's only temporary, Callie. Soon she'll be back at home and you'll be fighting again over whom is going to go buy milk. And at least you can talk to each other and stay in close contact." Bailey tried to comfort her friend.

The tall woman smiled her thanks; "You're right, Miranda. It's just the exhaustion talking. With the time difference we have to work around both our schedules to call each other. And it means lots of late, late nights and early, way too early, mornings."

"You're getting up extra early to talk on the phone." Bailey stated with a smile. "Now I can say I've seen everything."

Callie answered by pulling her tongue at the smaller woman.

* * *

Callie Torres was spread out on the couch, a bottle of beer sitting on the floor, close at end. Once more she thought that watching lesbian movies when her lover was thousands of miles away weren't such a good idea. But she just loved Lena Heady in 'Imagine me and you'. She just wished Arizona was there, cuddling with her as they turned all mushy over the movie together.

The tall brunette jumped when there was a knock on the door. Looking at her watch she wondered who might be showing up at 1AM in the morning. Anyone she was relatively close to usually burst through the front door unannounced.

She groaned as she got up and turned the TV off before heading to the blue door.

She opened the door, ready to tear whoever was taking her away from Lena a new one, but froze instantly.

Leaning heavily against the door frame, looking exhausted but still amazingly beautiful, her blonde hair a mess of curls around her perfect face, stood Arizona Robbins.

Callie's breath caught in her throat as dark velvet eyes met gorgeous blue ones and held for what seemed like a lifetime.

After that lifetime, the brunette started breathing again. A strong long-fingered hand reached up and, wrapping around a pale neck, pulled the blonde woman forward until she was wrapped in a tight hold.

Arizona sighed as, without a word, she dropped her head to a strong shoulder and slipped her arms around her taller lover waist and gripped her tightly against her own tired body.

The embrace lasted long minutes, the hold getting only stronger every time one of the woman was showing sign of letting go. It took the sound of the elevator's doors opening at the end of the hallway to get Callie to move.

Quickly but without completely letting go of her girlfriend, she grabbed the lonely bag sitting at their feet and pulled the blonde inside the apartment.

They stopped just past the closed door and wrapped their arms around each other again, needing the full body touch. Blue eyes lost in deep velvet again, Arizona lifted a hand to run it through the dark locks that were quite shorter than when she left.

"You cut your hair." She whispered as she combed her fingers through the dark silky hair, making Callie shiver.

"Yeah, I needed a change." The taller woman answered, unwilling to say anything more that might hurt her lover. "Do you like it?"

Arizona smiled, revealing the dimples that made Callie fall in love with the blonde the very first time they met.

"Well, I'm going to miss playing with your long hair. Especially on certain occasions." The blonde said with a teasing smile. "But yeah, I like it, it's sexy."

Callie smiled seductively but quickly forgot where her mind had been instantly taking her when the beautiful woman in her arms yawned widely and hid her face in the crook of her neck.

"Is that your only piece of luggage?" The velvet eyed woman asked, spying a medium sized bag at their feet and suddenly feeling anxious. "How long are you staying?"

Arizona pressed her lips to the warm neck she was hiding into and wrapped her arms tighter around her lover's waist.

"Is fifty years too long?"

The blonde lifted her head with a frown when she didn't get an answer. The sight that welcomed her made her laugh despite her bone deep exhaustion.

Callie fish's impression last a few more seconds before she cleared up her throat.

"You're staying for good?" she asked with a hopeful look.

"If you'll have me. I might have to travel back there sometimes but…"

Arizona couldn't finish as a warm insistent mouth pressed against hers tenderly but possessively.

The kiss lasted a lifetime, both women feeling home, at last.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, the two women were still tightly wrapped in each other arms, both unwilling to let the other go. Just in case all of this was just a dream.

But after a full day of traveling, the stress of flying and not being able to sleep on the plane because she was too excited about coming back to Callie, Arizona was about to drop.

"Calliope?" The blonde started tiredly.

"Yes, baby?" Callie answered from where her nose was buried in silky blonde hair.

"If I don't sit pretty soon, I'm going to faint on you." Arizona mumbled.

Callie instantly moved away from her lover without breaking the hug to look at Arizona's face.

"Did you sleep at all on the plane?" The tall brunette asked with a frown.

Arizona smiled at the protective side of her partner: "Aaah, nope. You know I have a hard time sleeping on planes. And I was kinda excited at the time."

Callie wiggled her eyebrows; "Excited huh?"

The blonde burst out laughing despite her tiredness.

"Will I make it worse if I say; 'Callie, bed now, please.'?"

The taller woman's expression turned hungry from obvious arousal. That is until another jaw breaking yawn broke out on Arizona's face.

"Hum, sorry about that." The blonde apologized quickly.

Callie chuckled, her concern for her partner's well-being easily pushing back the arousal.

"Common, little girl, let's put you to bed." She tenderly whispered as she pulled the smaller woman toward their bedroom.

* * *

Callie sat an exhausted Arizona on the side of the bed and started taking her clothes off like a mother would with her young child.

Arizona briefly thought she should be doing that herself but she was just relishing the tender attention too much.

"Hum, Calliope?" She said quietly.

"Yes, Arizona?" Callie asked not looking up from the task of taking the jeans off the long legs of her lover.

"I really need a shower."

The tall woman stood up with a smile; knowing what her lover was asking.

"Do you want help?"

Arizona smiled; "Yes please, if you're the one helping."

Callie chuckled again. Both knew it was teasing, that Arizona was too tired for sexy shower acrobatics at that time.

"I'll be right back." Callie said with a smile before disappearing in the bathroom.

Arizona heard the shower start and sighed, the thought of hot water running down her body, with Callie close by, sounded heavenly.

Her jaw dropped a minute later when her partner got out of the bathroom, totally naked, and walked to her.

"Come on, sexy exhausted lady, let's get you wet." Callie teased as she took a limp pale hand and pulled the blonde to her feet.

"Calliope Torreeeeeees." Arizona groaned.

"What? Two can play that game, Dr Robbins; you should know that by now." Callie chuckled.

The dark skinned naked woman pulled Arizona to the bathroom and gently finished undressing her before helping her in the tub and under the spray of water. Arizona moaned a first time when the water started running down her tired body and a second time when Callie joined her and pulled her in her arms from behind.

"I can't believe you're home." The taller woman whispered in her ear.

Arizona turned in the strong arms wrapped around her and pressed her face in her lover's neck.

"I'm home, baby. Now that I'm in your arms; I am really home."

Callie kissed the cheek under her lips and grabbed the bottle of shampoo. Gently she washed her lover's hair and then her body as Arizona stayed pressed against her, half asleep.

The fire of desire started low in Callie's belly as she ran her hands over the pale body of the paeds surgeon. But she restrained herself seeing how really tired her partner was.

"We're done here, baby. Let's get you dried off." She instructed gently.

"K." was all Arizona could answer.

Callie helped her out of the shower and rubbed her dry tenderly with a soft towel. She dried herself off quickly before, once more, pulling Arizona by the hand toward the bedroom.

* * *

Once the blonde was sitting on the bed again, Callie headed to the dresser to gather sleeping clothes for both of them.

"No." Arizona said quietly.

Callie turned around surprised.

"No clothes. I want to feel you, all of you, as I go to sleep." Arizona explained.

Callie smiled in understanding. God knew how badly she, herself, needed to feel that woman who was holding her heart against her without any barrier between them.

The tall dark haired surgeon headed back to the bed and helped a very naked and exhausted Arizona under the comforter.

Callie, still naked, went out to turn off all the lights and lock the front door. Now that Arizona was home she didn't want any unannounced visitors, especially Mark Sloan, to burst through their door. She learned that lesson the hard way.

The beautiful Latina hurriedly went back to the bedroom and the gorgeous woman who was waiting for her in their bed.

"Hey you." She murmured as she slipped between the sheets, letting an already dozing Arizona know that she was back.

The blonde's wonderful dimples showed as a happy smile appeared on her face.

"So it's not a dream." She mumbled as she moved to cuddle close to her partner.

"No." Callie answered quietly as she pulled the warm, shorter body tightly against hers. "It's not a dream. Definitively not a dream. Go to sleep, baby."

"I love you, Calliope." Arizona whispered again before succumbing to sleep.

"I love you too, my love."

Callie stayed awake a long time after that. Almost afraid to go to sleep in case it was, indeed, just a wonderful dream.

* * *

To be continued in chapter 7


	7. Chapter 7

Title: I don't know 7/?  
Author: Lysangelle  
Pairing: Callie/Arizona  
Rating: NC-17

Spoiler Alert: Post 7x07 "That's me trying". If you didn't see it and prefer to stay spoiler free, you shouldn't read this as some hints to it and following episodes are bound to show up in the story. But I'll miss you J

Summary: Chapter 7. Callie and Arizona get reacquainted after their long separation. I suggest you don't read this one at work or with a baby on your lap, you know who you are.

Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

A/N: What to say except; seven months is a long time to be away from the love of your life. Unless the story gets away from me again, I expect next chapter to be the last one. Just thought a fair warning was in order.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Callie Torres turned from her back to her side and opened her eyes to the most amazing sight there could be. She smiled and tenderly pushed blond hair away from the most beautiful face she ever saw. The dark haired woman could then admire the unobstructed face of the woman she loved more than anything.

Arizona was lying on her stomach, an arm wrapped around Callie's waist and the other under the pillow. Her face was turned toward her lover as she slept deeply.  
Callie detailed the smooth pale skin; the long lashes covering what she knew were amazingly blue eyes; the soft looking, slightly parted lips.

Callie was still having a hard time believing that Arizona was really there, lying in bed with her. She reached up and lightly touched the closest shoulder to check that the body next to her was real. The skin was warm and soft as she started stroking it with her fingertips and with an amazingly soft touch for hands that were breaking bones daily.

Callie smiled when she thought that only Arizona really knew how very soft, sweet and tender she actually was. Callie Torres; the woman who was always working at showing a strong front, the woman who had fought for years for her badass reputation.  
All it took was a short blonde with fascinating blue eyes and an amazing dimpled smile kissing her in a bar's bathroom and she was lost.

Arizona was the only one with whom Callie felt she could be completely herself. She could let go and not have to try and be the person whoever she wanted to please would want her to be.

Of course a relationship took work at times. The problems they had in the last year were the proof of that but they were working on it harder than ever. And she felt the time apart had, at least, served a purpose as they managed to clear up a lot of stuff. Funny that it took them to be thousands of miles apart for them to actually talk about things.

As she thought, her fingertips had moved down Arizona's naked back under the comforter. The skin there was even warmer and she flatten her palm on the small of the blonde's back to feel more of that warmth, unaware that the move woke up the woman she was softly caressing.

"You're watching me sleep, aren't you?" A sweet soft voice asked sleepily.

Callie jumped a bit in surprise; "Noooo…. Maybe….Ok, yes I was."

Arizona chuckled and moved closer to her lover, pressing their bodies together.

"I love you too, Calliope." She whispered, kissing a close by collarbone.

"You should go back to sleep, baby." Callie said with a smile. "It's still early."

Arizona groaned, sleep was getting further and further from her mind as her body was waking up due to the closeness with her stunning girlfriend.

"Are you working in the morning?" She asked in heavy voice.

"Yes, unfortunately, I'm supposed to."

The blonde then shook her head briskly. "Then no, no sleeping now, I want to make the most of you. I can sleep when you'll be at work."

Callie chuckled, knowing it was no use to argue with her very stubborn lover.

"Yes ma'am, whatever you say."

"Glad you see things my way." Arizona groaned as she wiggled against her partner.

Callie moaned at the friction of skin on skin. She missed this closeness so much.

"What's wrong?" The taller woman asked when Arizona moaned again in frustration.

"I can't get close enough to you." The blonde answered as she wiggled some more.

Callie's heartbeat picked up at the needy tone in her lover's voice.

"How can I help?" She asked in a breathy tone.

"You can come here," Arizona groaned, rolling on her back and pulling the taller woman with her. "I need to feel you on top of me."

"Arizona…" Callie started breathily.

"Kiss me, Callie."

The dark haired woman didn't need anymore urging and, leaning on her elbows, she lowered her mouth to the soft lips waiting for hers not too patiently.

Sleep was definitively the very last thing on Arizona's mind as she was in her lover's arms for the first time in seven months. Sex deprivation hadn't been too hard for her during those months. The long working days, the tiredness caused by the constant stress got the better of her healthy libido most of the time.

And when it wasn't, a quick self satisfaction indulging, or even an occasional phone sex oriented call to Callie took care of the matter.

But now, being naked against her equally naked stunning woman, her libido was reappearing full force.

The low fire inside her rose higher when the woman on top of her possessively took possession of her mouth. A hot tongue finding her own and caressing it so sensually that she felt herself getting soaked in a heartbeat.

Arizona dropped her hands to her lover's backside and, spreading her legs wide, needing the friction, she pressed Callie down and against her center.

Callie tore her mouth away and groaned at the incredible wetness against her mound.

She felt the need and the hurry in her lover and tried to slow things down.

"Arizona! Easy, baby. Not so fast."

"No, I need you to make me come now. We can do slow later. I just need you now, baby. Please." The blonde pleaded, frenzied and short of breath in her need.

Callie just moaned and relented as her lover's words made her juices overflow. She stretched up her arms and locking her elbows, she pressed her sex harder against the blonde's, making her arch up.

"Yes!" Arizona hissed as she reached down between them with both hands and parted their swollen lips for a more direct contact.

Callie moaned as she felt their abundant juices mix and, rearranging her legs slightly, she started thrusting into her lover. The incredible feeling of Arizona's velvet against her own making her juices flow harder.

"Callie...Yes, baby. Make love to me." Arizona moaned at the feeling of her lover's warm wetness flooding her sex.

Callie cried out as a roll of her hips made her hard swollen clit rub directly against the blonde's.

Small pale hands grabbing her ass harder encouraged her and she stayed there, rubbing their blood engorged clits together.

As she felt her orgasm build up, Callie felt the need to look into her recovered love's amazing eyes.

"Arizona." She whispered breathlessly. "Look at me, baby. I want to look into your eyes as I come."

The blonde moaned and focused with some difficulty, on the dark eyes full of love that were looking down at her as Callie kept rubbing their centers together.

"Calliope…" She breathed. "I'm so close, my love."

The words made Callie jerk harder against her lover.

"Yes! Come for me baby. Give it to me."

Arizona back arched up high as her orgasm rocked through her. Her jerking hips sending Callie's over the edge of her own release.

Both women's hips kept thrusting slowly against each other, making their release linger until, both exhausted; they collapse on top of each other.

* * *

Arizona woke shortly after, her face instantly breaking into a happy smile at the comforting weight of her lover's body on top of hers.

She kissed the forehead that lay just inches from her mouth and brought up her hand to run it through dark short hair. Well a lot shorter than the last time she had seen the woman in her arms. She had been surprised at first but she was realizing that she loved the way the shorter cut was displaying the gorgeous curls of her lover.

"Why you awake?" A sleepy voice resonated against her chest.

"I just woke up, I think I'm jet-lagged. But I didn't want to go back to sleep anyway. I was afraid to find you gone when I'll wake up." Arizona admitted sheepishly.

Callie sighed happily: "Where else would I be, Arizona? This is where I belong."

Just then the alarm went off, the shrill sound making both women jump, then burst out laughing.

"At work, for example." Arizona quipped still laughing.

"No way! I'm calling in sick, there's no way I'm leaving you this morning. Or for the next month." Callie pouted.

"Restroom breaks should be interesting." The blonde teased.

"Eeewwww, Arizona! You're spending too much time with eight year olds!"

The paeds surgeon laughed even harder. For the first time in seven months she was truly totally happy. With a type of happiness that work, surgery or grant of any form couldn't bring.

"As much as I hate having you move, I need you to roll off me, baby." The blonde said gently when her laughter died off. "I have to use said restroom and I really need something to drink."

"What if I refuse to move?" Callie asked, her face buried against her lover's chest.

Arizona smirked; "Well then, you'll be soon eewwwing for a real reason."

"Oh gross!" The taller woman cried out as she rolled off her laughing partner.

The blonde quickly walked to adjoining bathroom with a huge smile as she could hear her lover still mumbling about eight years olds and the things they were teaching to her supposedly grown-up girlfriend.

* * *

When Arizona came out of the bathroom, Callie was on the phone with the hospital. The blonde walked out of the bedroom to look for something to drink, feeling the burning eyes of her lover's on her naked body.

Arizona wasn't usually much of an exhibitionist; in any case she was quite more modest than her Latina girlfriend. But walking naked in their apartment, feeling the eyes she loved so much following her every move were making her feel freer than she'd felt in a long time.

She froze as she stepped into the living room and looked around her. She had been too tired and overwhelmed by being back in Callie's arms to notice the change in the then darkened room.

Gorgeous dimples appeared on her face at the new decor. She then turned to the fridge, grabbed two bottles of waters and quickly walked back into the bedroom just as Callie was hanging up.

Callie was stretching like a cat when a blond hurricane toppled on top of her. The bright blue eyes and the fully displayed dimples let her know it wasn't a bad thing though.

"What did I do now?" She asked breathlessly.

The deep possessive kiss that Arizona planted on her didn't help the breathlessness.

"You painted the place." The blonde answered against the soft luscious lips she only just released.

Callie swallowed hard. "Oh yeah! That."

"Calliope! You painted the living room like I was asking you to!" Arizona exclaimed without leaving her comfy spot on top of her lover. "You; the bat cave permanent resident, you painted those walls yellow!"

"They're not yellow, they're beige!" Callie clarified.

Arizona laughed then tenderly kissed her partner again.

"And what happened to living in an Easter basket?"

Callie smirked: "Well, if it means we can keep screwing like bunnies…"

The nimble paeds surgeon's fingers digging in her sides made the taller woman squeal with laughter. She started squirming, trying to evade the knowing fingers but Arizona didn't relent. The blonde kept going until she noticed that Callie was reaching the point where the tickling becomes painful.

With a happy dimpled smile, the shorter woman placed a hand on each side of Callie's head as she allowed her to catch her breath at last. Her blue eyes never leaving the laughing, olive-skinned beloved face.

"I love you." Arizona whispered, her eyes plunging deeply in the velvety dark eyes a few inches away from her face.

Callie felt her heart lurch in her chest. She had missed this so much. The love, the closeness, the playing, the mischievousness that often were part of their relationship.

Arizona didn't only bring the most stable, adult and loving relationship Callie ever was in, but she also was making it the most fun she ever knew.

"I love you too, Arizona." Callie answered; her throat suddenly tight.

The blonde leaned forward, tenderly rubbing her lips against her lover's;

"Ssssshhhh. It's ok, sweetheart. I'm here."

Callie raised off the bed just enough to press their mouth together more fully and her hands wrapped around the slim waist of the woman on top of her.

"I want you, Arizona." The dark haired woman moaned against the swollen pinks lips of her partner.

"You have me, baby." The blonde answered in a breathy voice, the words turning her on instantly. "I'm yours; all you have to do is take me."

Callie groaned as Arizona grabbed her right hand and guided it between her legs in a swift needy move.

Both women moaned in each other mouth as cool fingers met the warm wetness that was already rushing between the blonde's legs.

"Arizona…" Callie breathed her approval as she started running her fingertips along the length of her lover's sex until the swelling wet lips parted for them.

The blonde's hips jerked when fingers moved deeper inside her center, her need escalading.

"Callie. Please, take me." She repeated; her voice deep and sexy.

The Latina couldn't resist the plea and didn't want to. She easily found the source of the rushing wetness and slowly slipped a finger deep inside her lover. Her breath caught in her throat when Arizona threw her head back in pleasure, it was the most beautiful sight she ever saw.

"You're so tight, baby." The taller woman whispered as she pulled her finger almost out and added a second one before entering the hot tight space again.

Arizona moaned, unable to talk, as she started riding her partner's hand.

Callie was breathing hard as her own arousal was rising at the sight of her gorgeous girlfriend riding her fingers and the feeling of warm juices pooling in her palm and on her stomach.

"Calliope. Make me come, baby. Please." Arizona pleaded, needing the release badly.

Cllie smiled wickedly as she lift her free hand to knead a soft pale breast and started rolling the blonde's clit with her thumb.

It took only a few passes of the finger before Arizona froze on top of Callie as spasms shook her whole body. The taller woman moaned in sympathy as she could feel the strength of her love's orgasm at the way her still deeply buried fingers were grasped by her lover's muscles.

Arizona dropped her head on Callie's shoulder, her arms unable to keep her up any longer.

"Dios Mio." Callie mumbled. "You're so hot, Arizona. The things you do to me…"

Arizona chuckled from her soft spot on her lover's soft shoulder.

"But I didn't do anything to you yet, Calliope."

Taking Callie by surprise, the blonde smoothly slid down the long olive-skinned body, gasping when her move made Callie's fingers slip out of her still throbbing sex.

Without a word and not letting her taller lover the chance to say a word, the still short of breath blue eyed minx slipped between long legs and parted them to make room for her own body.

"Arizona!" Callie cried out at the sudden move, then she moaned when a warm mouth wrapped around her swollen soaked lips.

Arizona needed to make love to her woman too much to waste any time, her mouth wrapped around velvet like swollen lips and she started slowly sucking, closing her eyes at the feeling of the soft flesh filling her mouth.

When the blonde was satisfied, she released the tender skin and started running her tongue past them, gathering her lover's copious offering.

Callie grabbed the sheets at her sides as her love kept feeding on her. The pleasure she felt was leaving her mind reeling.

"Baby," she groaned. "I can't take anymore, make me come."

Arizona moaned deeply at the word and moved her mouth to capture the distended clit showing up from its hiding shaft.

Callie arched up off the bed when the gifted mouth started sucking on her clit and a fingertip moved to stroke her puckered opening.

She screamed her lover's name as the climax hit her hard.

Arizona kept sucking tenderly on the pulsing clit until Callie relaxed and the last aftershocks died off before she moved back up the sweaty satisfied body to lay in the love of her life's arms.

She kissed the still breathing hard Latina and cuddled close, wrapping her body around Callie's as tightly as she could without impairing her labored breathing.

"I love you, Arizona." The taller woman murmured breathlessly.

"MMmmmm, good." The blonde answered. "Don't ever stop."

"Never, baby. Never…"

* * *

Continues and probably concludes in chapter 8 where Arizona goes back to SGMW to visit some old acquaintances.


	8. Chapter 8

Title: I don't know 8/8  
Author: Lysangelle  
Pairing: Callie/Arizona  
Rating: NC-17

Spoiler Alert: Post 7x07 "That's me trying". If you didn't see it and prefer to stay spoiler free, you shouldn't read this as some hints to it and following episodes are bound to show up in the story. But I'll miss you J

Summary: Final chapter. Arizona goes back to SGMW to get the rest of her life back.

Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

A/N: Here we are. The last chapter of a very special story for me. It's longer that the previous chapters because I wanted to leave you with some more steaminess. I want to thank again those of you who stuck with me all the way. For your loyalty and the amazing feelings your renewed comments brought me with each new chapter, you guys rocks. Thank you a million times.

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Arizona Robbins woke up from the feeling of warm lips caressing her naked throat and chest. She brought her hands up and buried them in a thick mass of black curls, keeping the mouth close to her.

"You can wake me up this way for the next million of mornings." She muttered in a sleep hoarse voice.

Callie chuckled from her spot on the naked chest and snorted when the small but insistent hands directed her mouth down toward an already hardening nipple.

Both women's breathing was quickening when a loud pounding on the front door made them jump.

"Torres! What the Hell! Open that door." A deep voice resounded from the other side of the hard wood. "Since when are you locking that damn door!"

Callie groaned; "Mark! I can't believe it! He must have a 'lesbian sex is happening' radar."

Arizona looked up at her lover's face; "You locked the door?" She stated more than asked. "You actually locked the front door."

Callie searched the blue eyes of her girlfriend and found only wonder.

"Well yeah," she answered a bit embarrassed. "I didn't want someone like…Mark to burst in."

Her reward came under the form of a deep passionate kiss that made her moan in her blond lover's mouth.

"Callie! I swear if you're in there, behind a LOCKED door, doing something you shouldn't, I'll be killing you!"

Arizona burst out laughing as Callie hid her face in a handy pale and gracious neck.

"Hey, even I have to recognize that he's, at least, taking great care of your well-being." The blonde teased.

Callie chuckled as she lifted her head to drop a tender kiss on Arizona's lips.

"You just stay in bed and relax and I'll take care of him."

"Works for me. But only if you come back to bed when you're done." Arizona answered with another kiss.

"Oh you drive a hard bargain, Dr Robbins. But I think I can live up to it."

Arizona watched as Callie got up, grabbed a robe and walked naked to the bedroom's door, only putting the robe after she stepped out and pulled the door closed behind her.

"Oh you! Stop torturing me!" Arizona yelled after her lover, making Callie laughed loudly.

* * *

"Ok! Ok! You can stop that; I'll need that door a while longer!" Callie yelled to cover to sound of the pounding as she walked to the shaking door.

She waited for the pounding to stop before opening the door to a frazzled looking Mark.

"Why did you lock the door? You never lock the door! That door is an open book, except that it's a … door! Why was it locked?" Mark rambled.

Callie smiled at her BFF; "Thanks for worrying."

"I wasn't worried!" The tall man tried to defend himself. "I was just… frustrated. Yeah that's it! You can't stop a manwhore from accidentally stumbling over his half naked BFF that way. It's… immoral!"

Callie laughed and briefly hugged the man.

"Common, I'll make you some coffee." She said as she pushed him toward the kitchen counter before getting busy with the French press.

Mark sat on one of the high stool.

"I should be the one making you coffee with that thing, at my place."

The dark-haired woman snorted.

"Are you going to tell me why the door was locked?" Mark asked again.

Callie turned to him with a huge happy smile on her face.

"Arizona is home, Mark." The ortho surgeon admitted happily. "She came home last night."

"Really?" the tall man asked with his own happy smile. "That's cool, lemme go say hi!" he finished, getting up and turning to the close by bedroom door.

"Oh no, no, no!" Callie laughed as she moved quickly to grab his arm across the counter. "My woman is in bed, naked; you're not bursting in on her! She got her fair share of that."

The manwhore turned back to his BFF with a major pout on his face.

"Partypooper." He mumbled.

"Look, Mark, we need to talk." Callie said seriously.

"I think I know where this is going, Cal."

"Listen, I want you to know you'll always be my best friend and I'll be here for you no matter what, like you've been for me. But we need to stop being attached at the hip." Callie started sincerely. "I almost lost Arizona again and it made me see things in a way I wasn't before. I understand now that my partner, and my relationship with her, need to be my priority."

Mark nodded. "I understand, Callie. I really do."

"Yeah," the woman smiled a bit awkwardly. "It means I can't invite you in our bed anymore. DO NOT even think it." She rushed to add.

Mark chuckled.

"And it means you can't just come and go around here unannounced anymore. Bursting in on us during… intimate moments… well it has to stop. It's on the inappropriate side." Callie finished, not wanting to hurt her friend's feelings.

The tall man smiled with affection.

"It's ok, Callie. I guess it is really time to grow up huh? I understand what you mean. I'll try hard to be more respectful of your and Arizona's privacy. But hey it's still me, I can't promise perfection!"

They both laughed and Callie moved around to hug her best friend again.

"Thanks Mark."

"Hey what are BFF for, huh?" The plastic surgeon quipped.

He grabbed the mug Callie placed in front of him and started toward the front door; "I still can steal your dishes though, right?"

Callie shook her head at him, a knowing grin on her face.

Just as he reached the door, Mark turned back to her.

"I'm really happy for both of you, Cal. Say hi to Blondie for me. I'll see her around sometimes. Now go back to your naked woman." He finished with a manwhore smirk.

And with that he was gone.

* * *

The shifting of the bed brought Arizona out of her dozing state. She smiled as a warm naked body wrapped around hers from behind. A long arm wrapping around her and a strong hand slipping into hers.

"Hey you." Callie whispered in case that her lover was asleep again, dropping a light kiss on Arizona's temple.

"Hey. How did it go?"

Callie smirked; "Well I can't promise Mark is suddenly going to turn into McHoly, but he promised to try and stay out of our private life… Well out of our bedroom at least."

Arizona laughed.

"What's really matter to me is that you had that talk with him."

"I heard everything you said during our time apart, Arizona. I really did. And I won't make the same mistakes again. We'll work together on our relationship like we promised." Callie confessed in a low voice.

The blonde brought the hand that was holding hers up to her mouth and kissed it.

"What are you planning to do today?" Callie asked as she nuzzled a sweet smelling neck.

"Well, it depends." Arizona distractedly answered. "Can we stay in bed and fuck each other brains out all day?"

Callie laughed; "You have a dirty mouth on you, Robbins!"

"Yeah but you love what it does to you, Torres." The innocent looking paeds surgeon quipped.

"Oh I more than love it, baby." The taller woman answered. "But to answer your question; no we can't. I really have to go to work today. Webber is still on my case for some reason."

Arizona groaned her disappointment.

"Well, then I'm going to the hospital with you. I want to see our friends. And I have some serious jerk attending ass kicking to do."

Callie chuckled; "Oh you heard about Stark then?"

"Yeah, both Teddy and Bailey mentioned him in their emails. I can't believe how he messed up with my department."

"Ouh, you're hot when you're getting all possessive! Your department, huh?"

"Hell yeah; MY department. Those are my kids and my staff. I won't let a lazy assed troll mess things up for them."

Callie smiled, she really had her feisty love back and she couldn't be happier.

"Yes ma'am, whatever you say."

* * *

Callie and Arizona were walking hand in hand toward the hospital's front doors. They had quite a hard time getting out of bed but duty was calling.

They walked slowly, bumping shoulders while teasing each other in low voices. Callie was slightly anxious though. She was wondering how her lover was going to take her spontaneous decision, knowing Arizona's dislike of surprises. At least the short time that Arizona had left her alone, while she was freshening up, only allowed her to text Mark, Teddy and Bailey. If her girlfriend was taking it badly she expected Arizona would only kill her halfway.

Once inside the huge building, Callie pulled Arizona to the attending locker room.

"Dr Torres," Arizona started with a fake innocent look as Callie was opening the door for her, "if you're planning on workplace's sexcapade, I'll remind you that the locker room doesn't lock."

"I'll just pretend I didn't just hear sex and workplace in the same sentence." A stern voice said, making Arizona look away from her girlfriend and focus on the trio that was waiting for them in the room.

A huge happy smile appeared on four faces as Bailey tried without much success to keep her usual stern face. Arizona rushed inside to room, Callie hot on her heels.

Teddy was the first one to jump on her self-declared best friend to hug her tight.

"You didn't tell me you were coming back, I should yell at you but I'm just too glad to have you back!"

Arizona chuckled as she hugged the taller blonde back.

"I wasn't sure until last minute that I would make it."

"Hey Altman! Leave some of the lady for the others, there's not much of her to start with!" A booming voice interrupted.

Arizona stepped away from the heart surgeon and turned to a grinning Sloan.

"Mark. I should have guessed." The blonde quipped with a mischievous smile.

"Come here, short stuff." The tall man said, opening his arms to her.

Arizona walked into his arms and gave him a hard squeeze.

"We missed you." Sloan whispered in her ear as he hugged her and she knew he was speaking of Callie but not only.

Arizona moved back a step and smiled at him, she knew what a good friend Mark had been to Callie during her time in Malawi.

"Hey, but where is your tan?" Sloan teased, "You don't spend seven months in Africa and stay as pale as you were when you left!"

"Sloan, look at me!" Arizona pretended to frown, "You're a plastic surgeon, do you imagine this pale skin reacting to the Africa sun in any other way than turning as red as a cooked Maine lobster?"

Everyone in the room burst out laughing. They sure had missed the sunny woman's humor and brightening mood.

"Ok! Ok! You two said your welcome," Bailey interrupted, "Now it's time to go back to work, shoo!"

Both much taller surgeons hurried to obey the impressive if diminutive woman. They each squeezed Arizona and Callie's hand on their way out.

"Now," Bailey started again. "Dr Robbins, come here right this minute."

Arizona looked at Callie with a questioning look but walked up to the short woman and was instantly pulled in a very tight hug.

The blonde smiled happily as she wrapped her own arms around the shorter woman.

"I missed you too, Miranda." Arizona said quietly.

Bailey gave her a last squeeze before releasing her. Her dark eyes suspiciously bright.

"Don't you dare leave like that again, Robbins." She said raising warning index finger in Arizona's face.

"No ma'am." The blonde answered with a good behaved kid voice that made Callie snort.

"Good." The stern wannabe said firmly before heading to the door.

Bailey turned around as if she just remembered an important point.

"And by the way, this never happened."

Both Arizona and Callie chuckled as Miranda Bailey left the locker room.

Callie walked up to her lover and took her in her arms.

"Are you happy?"

Arizona answered with a tender kiss; "I'm very happy, Calliope."

Callie was about to suggest they could pile up benches in front of the door when her pager went on.

"Dammit!" She cursed; "We're doomed today!"

The blonde laughed.

"Make sure you're finishing early and I promise we'll squirrel at home, turn off all the distracting accessories and just do more catching up."

Callie quickly released her lover and turned to her locker; "Let me get started then, the sooner I start, the sooner I finish." The dark-haired woman resolutely answered.

Arizona chuckled and walked up to her girlfriend to drop a kiss on a now uncovered shoulder.

"You do that, baby. I'll go see Chief Webber and I'll meet you later for lunch." The blonde said between nibbles to the soft, warm shoulder.

"Arizona! You're not helping here!"

The shorter woman laughed, gave a harder bite to the round body part and walked away quickly before Callie could grab her.

"See you later, baby." She mischievously called back.

* * *

Arizona was smiling as she walked back to the main hospital building after her meeting with the Chief. Webber had been very happy to see her back and had received her demand to be reinstated as the pediatric department's head with obvious relief.

The blonde knew that Webber was mostly considering the good name that having a Carter Madison grant recipient as an attending would give to SGMW but she didn't care. All that mattered was that she might get her job back and soon be working among her second family again.

And the thought that Webber probably stopped only seeing her as the surgeon that was crying when confronted to figures of authority was a welcome bonus.

She was walking down the long hallways leading inside the paeds department, thinking that she needed to dig out for her Heelys, when she heard her name being called quite loudly.

Looking around she spotted an unusually happy looking Alex Karev rushing toward her.

"Dr Robbins! Dude, did I miss you!" He exclaimed as he roughly wrapped her in a hug.

Arizona chuckled as she patted the broad back of her star student with affection.

"It's good to be back, Karev."

"Karev, take your paws off of my girlfriend!" Callie yelled from the end of the hallway. A sudden rush of jealousy filling her. "Someone find me a brick!"

Karev instantly let go of a smirking Arizona and stepped back quite a few steps. His face sporting his usual closed expression.

"What's with you lesbians and bricks anyway!" He asked as Callie was siding up to her girlfriend.

Arizona bit her lip as Alex turned around and rushed away.

"What did he mean exactly?" Callie asked turning to her lover.

"I think he just discovered he has a brick phobia." The blonde answered then she visibly shivered.

"That was a bit disturbing." She mumbled.

"What was?" Callie asked. "The brick thing?"

"No. Having Karev hug me. Probably because of the day he told me I have hot boobs and that he was watching them." Arizona answered like she was lost in disturbing thoughts.

Callie turned a deep red with anger.

"He what? KAREV!" The bone breaker started down the hallway where Karev disappeared.

* * *

Callie was trying to defend herself, explaining how she was just looking for her girlfriend in paeds when she saw Karev holding onto Arizona in a totally inappropriate way, while the table load of attendings was laughing loudly.

Arizona comfortingly patted her lover's knee while Mark, Teddy, Owen and even Bailey were fighting to get their breath back after laughing so hard.

"You're all bad, bad friends." Callie pouted as she pushed food around her plate, sending the others into another fit of giggles.

"So, Arizona, when are you coming back to work?" Teddy asked finally.

The paeds surgeon shrugged; "I'm not sure. Webber seemed in favor of giving me the job back but I guess there's some things to take care of before that can happen."

"Oh you mean McLazy?" Mark stated more than asked.

"I only heard rumors but if only half of them are true, that guy is a disgrace to medicine." Owen said.

"Stark is in no way, shape or form nearly good enough to fill Arizona's caring and wheels wearing shoes!" Bailey uncharacteristically exclaimed.

All the attendings turned to the short woman in surprise.

"What she said!" Mark exclaimed, expressing the opinion of every person sitting around the table.

It's at that time that a small man wearing the regular attending dark blue scrubs rushed in the cafeteria and came to stand in front of their table. His eyes checking out every face until he stopped on the only face he didn't see around before.

"So you're the famous Dr. Robbins that everyone's talking about today." Dr Stark started distastefully. "What do you think you're doing exactly? Everyone in this hospital seems to be announcing that their real head of pediatrics is back."

Arizona squeezed Callie's knee before the tall woman had the chance to get up.

"Dr Stark, I really don't think this is the time or place to have this conversation." Arizona said quietly, looking around as a hint of the many people surrounding them.

The woman's attempt at discretion was thwarted when the now furious man kept going.

"You've been going around my department all morning, checking on things, what are you trying to do?"

Arizona squeezed the knee that had tensed under her hand harder.

"For your information; I was visiting the nurses I've been working with for years and a few of my old patients that unfortunately were back again."

Every eye now being on the commotion created by Stark, no one noticed Chief Webber as he entered the cafeteria and stepped closer.

"Well, from now on, I'd ask you to stay away from my department, your presence obviously created a disturbance that might be harmful for the service."

Stark loudly stated.

Arizona's eyes turned to slits as she stood up to face the man.

"Excuse me?" She started in an icy tone of voice. "You have no right telling me to stay away from my people!"

"Your people?" the short man snorted.

It was Callie's turn to grab the close by pale hand of her girlfriend.

"Yes; my people!" Arizona raised her voice. "They're the nurses I worked closely with, they're the kids I treated and worried about, they're the residents I taught to and that you mistreated. So hell yes; they are MY people!"

Stark turned redder by the minute; "And what are you planning to do, Dr Robbins? Steal them all away from this hospital?"

"I'm taking back my job, that's what I'm planning to do!" Arizona exclaimed just as loudly.

The short man laughed; "Whose help are you counting on to accomplish that one, Robbins?"

"On mine!" Chief Webber cried out. "And I'll be backing her up all the way!"

"I have a three years contract!" Stark answered threateningly. "If I get fired, I'll sue this hospital into the ground!"

"Please do. It'll be way worth it if we get our Dr Robbins back." Webber answered calmly.

Stark rushed out of the cafeteria as all the staff in the room knowing Arizona started clapping.

Arizona looked at Richard Webber and smiled gratefully, receiving an almost fatherly smile and an encouraging nod in return.

* * *

Callie opened the front door as quietly as she could, not wanting to wake up her girlfriend if she was actually sleeping.

Arizona had stayed at the hospital a while longer after their agitated lunch.  
Each attending and resident she met welcoming her back warmly and exchanging a few words with her.  
When Callie saw her hide a yawn behind her hand for the third time, she sent her home to rest.

Walking deeper in the apartment, the dark-haired woman smiled as she did spot the beautiful blonde cuddling with a pillow on one of the couches.

She decided to get changed before going to Arizona, giving her a few more minutes of rest before she woke her up to start on their dinner.

Wearing a large t-shirt and sweatpants she kneeled next to the couch. Callie spent a few minutes just watching her lover. She still couldn't believe Arizona was back at times.

"You gotta stop watching me sleep, I'll start thinking you're a stalker." A sleepy voice made her jump.

Callie laughed to settle her nerves. "And you need to stop doing that 'I'm asleep but speaking' thing; you'll give me a heart attack."

Arizona chuckled and opened soulful blue eyes to look at her lover.

"Hi." She simply said.

"Hi beautiful." Callie answered as she leaned forward and tenderly kissed her girlfriend.

"Are you hungry?" The dark-haired woman asked as she peppered tender kisses over Arizona's face.

"Starving." The blonde answered already short of breath.

Callie bit a pink lover lip; "What do you want for dinner?"

"You." Arizona answered hoarsely.

The blonde quickly discarded the light blanket she was covered with and pulled her girlfriend on top of her. Callie went willingly and took her lover's mouth in a passionate kiss again.

"Not that I'm complaining but what got into you? Asleep one minute and all worked up the next." Callie teased as she kissed down her lover's neck.

Arizona moaned and tilted her head to give more room to her girlfriend.

"Let's call it the lesbian's morning hard on. Now shut up and make love to me, woman."

The dark haired woman chuckled and wasted no time pulling Arizona's old T-shirt off of her.

"Hey, isn't that mine?" She asked as she looked at the shirt she just discarded.

"Who cares? It was in the way anyway!" Arizona cried out.

With Callie's attention effectively brought back to the important matter at hands, Arizona quickly undressed her lover.

"See? That's how it's done." She whispered in her girlfriend's ear as she dropped Callie's shirt on the floor.

The taller woman groaned and pulled Arizona's own sweatpants and panties off in one swift move, making the blonde squeak.

"See? I had a good teacher." Callie quipped as she leaned forward and, without warning, closed her mouth over a waiting nipple.

Arizona gasped and Callie moaned as she felt the nipple harden in her mouth instantly.

Both women knew it wouldn't take much for the blonde to reach her climax. Wanting her lover to come with her Arizona reached down between their bodies and ran her fingers over her girlfriend's sex, easily slipping between swollen lips that parted for her, dipping in abundant wetness.

Callie's deep moan pushed the blonde's need even higher and she pleaded; "Calliope, touch me. I need you inside of me."

"Anything you want, baby." Callie answered hoarsely as she moved back up to kiss her lover.

An olive-skinned hand parted long pale thighs and long strong fingers slipped just as easily in the similarly abundant wetness.

Dark velvet like eyes plunged deeply in sky blue ones and held as they stroked each other slowly, matching their movements to the other's.

They breathed the same air as their lips stayed within an inch of each other and moaned into each other's mouth when two fingers of each hand slid home, deeply burying in their lover's center.

"Oh yes, don't stop." Callie groaned when Arizona's thumb found her swollen clit.

"Not likely." The blonde moaned back. "Just keep fucking me, Callie."

Their thrusts into each other became more frenzied as their need grew and grew.

A few harder, deeper thrusts from Callie's fingers inside the blonde's drenched core and a couple more circles from Arizona's thumb on the dark-haired woman's soaked clit and their orgasm hit them almost simultaneously.

They both arch their back from the pleasure, pushing the other's hand harder against their own sex, prolonging their climax.

Callie managed to roll off her shorter lover before dropping between the back of the couch and Arizona's body.

The blonde groaned, not liking the loss of Callie's warmth in the least. She wriggled closer to her breathing hard lover who dropped her head on a pale, soft breast.

"That was a very nice way to get reacquainted with this couch, as a couple." Callie said teasingly when her breath returned to normal. "We'll have to revisit this place."

"Does it mean we're going to christen all the apartment's possible spots again?" Arizona asked, laughing.

"Well since you suggest it..." The taller woman quipped.

"Well then we'll have to think about being more careful with the kitchen's counter," the blonde suggested, wriggling her eyebrows. "Last time you almost sent the French press flying."

Callie's head shot up from where it was resting on her girlfriend's naked chest, her eyes wide.

"What's up with you people and that damn French press?"

The blonde frowned; "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing, baby." Callie laughed as she laid her head back on its previous comfy spot. "It's just that that French press comes up a lot lately."

Arizona started running her fingers through the dark locks, reveling in their closeness. And they both got lost in their thoughts for a while.

"Do you have any regrets?" Callie asked after a good while. "About leaving your project in other people's care, I mean."

Arizona didn't need to think to answer that question.

"No, baby. I don't have any regret. Not a single one. I realize I don't know how to live without you anymore."

Callie smiled in relief and turned her head to kiss the pale skin under her cheek.

"Welcome home, Arizona."

THE END


End file.
